magic and innocence

I'm mulling over some deep, meaningful things right now and considered writing about them.  But, I think like a good stew, they need to marinate for a while before they can truly be savored, so I'm going to digress to a different topic all together while I let those soak and simmer a while longer.

So...for a fun topic.  FAIRY DOORS ;)

Remember when you were younger and everything seemed a little magical?  I think we tend to lose that as we age.  Maybe it's the fact that the only person I hang out with when I'm not at work is 2, or maybe I just have an inner child that I can't subdue, but I still find some of that magic fun and exciting.  I know it's not real, but I love playing it up for her and watching her eyes sparkle because she believes that they are. 

I was reading something...somewhere....I don't remember (I tend to read a lot of random things and pick up random facts but forget where I read them at.  Like once I read that employers that allow employees a 30 minute nap each day have more productive employees.  I've proposed that to a couple of different employers and no one is down...but anyway, I digress) I read about fairy doors popping up different places.  One article I read discusses how the fairies only come out at night and might leave gifts for children if they have been good or letters of reminder if they haven't. 

My little two year old BFF has a fascination with Tinkerbell so it kind of fit right in.  I constructed for her fairy doors.  Basically I went to Hobby Lobby and bought doors that were supposed to go on doll houses and painted them and put the handles on them and then put them on the wall with Command Strips.  My house contains two fairy doors.

The first time she was going to come over after I installed fairy doors, I was so excited.  It was like a kid at Christmas.  I told her on the ride over that fairies had put up a door in my house.  I don't know that she was really that impressed yet though or even grasped the concept at that point.  Then she saw it....

    "What's that?"  My fairy door.  (she bent down to examine).  "Are the fairies in there?"  I think so.  I haven't seen them though; they only come out at night.  (knocking on the door) "Oh fairies?  Fairies?" 

And then...she tried the handle.  It was locked.  (theoretically...it really is just fixed to the door and doesn't turn.)

I told her I think only the fairies could open the door and they were probably sleeping.  She smiled.  Then I told her we should check and see if there were any other fairy doors.  (I already knew there was another...obviously...but this would be more fun.)  So, we went running through the house and suddenly she found the fairy door!!

It really didn't take long to discover this one didn't open or have anyone answer it either, but she still checks them sometimes.

Once, I left a little plate outside the pink one because I was going to have the fairies leave her a present when she came over.  Well, I have a dog and I didn't want him to eat her present ('cause they were going to leave her a 'gum' [m&m] for tee-teeing on the potty) so I was going to put it out later.  Well...I forgot.  She looked at the door, tried the lock again and then turned to say something to Beau and I grabbed the "gum" I had placed on the shelf and put it on the plate while she wasn't looking. 

"Look the fairies left you a present!"  She was about the most excited person in life for that moment.

I love the fairy doors.  It brings imagination.  Maybe even a little faith...that something you can't see does exist.  It's a little magic that reminds me of innocence and the good in the world that still exists.  I want to grab that innocence and hang onto it.  I want to believe with the faith of a child that everything happens for a reason.

When things aren't going according to plan, there's someone looking out for you.  Not fairies of course, but God's got your back.  Unlike the fairies, He's not leaving you presents when you're good and letters of reprimand when you're bad.  He's around gently (or roughly when it's needed) guiding you on the path he has for you.  He didn't promise a bump-free ride, but he promised to ride it with you.

And unlike the fairies, He always answers the door ;)