While my favorite type of magic to write about primarily concerns spells and rituals, it is not the only type of magic in the world. The most incredible magic comes about when we are able to do incredible things for the people we love, wanting nothing in return except to see that person happy. Hocus pocus can’t bring about that kind of happiness, only true love and kindness can do that.
I bring this up because last night I was able to give my mother a gift of a lifetime. Though I have walked a witchy path for nearly ten years now, despite the many spells I have cast over the years and the hundreds of rituals I have taken part in, NOTHING has made me feel quite as magical as I did last night.
You see, my mother loves Disney. She doesn’t just like the occasional Disney movie, or have fond memories of taking us to Walt Disney World when we were younger; she absolutely LOVES all things Disney; to her, the word “Disney” represents opportunity, youthfulness, dreams come true, and a beautiful tomorrow. Disney is where families come together and forget their practical lives and start believing in fairy god mothers and the power of wishing upon stars, no matter how old they are or where they come from.
As much as my mom loves and cherishes the name Disney, it also comes with a sweet sadness to her. While the name is synonymous with happiness, she also believe it to be unattainable; going to a Disney park is hard enough on anyone’s finances, but if you factor in her current financial strife, walking down Main Street to see Cinderella Castle is damn near impossible. While her heart is often filled with joy when she hears that her friends and family will be experiencing the Magic Kingdom for themselves, it isn’t without a small pang of sadness, fearing that she will never again see that castle for herself.
What she didn’t know was that my fiancé and myself knew how she felt and were hell bent on doing something about it. This woman raised me and my two brothers alone and managed to provide for us no matter how hard her financial situation was, she has always been right next to me during any stressful moment in my life, she worked endless hours to make sure that we still believed in magic, surprising us with little trips here and there ; in short, she is has been my Wonder Woman and has never asked for anything in return… ever.
Cody and I knew that she couldn’t get herself to Disney World on her own, and wouldn’t want to go without all of her kids- lets face it, Disney is rough on anyone’s budget- so we decided to do it for her. We put a down payment on a six day vacation for the whole family to see the Mouse for next year, all that was left to do was to tell her.
Last night she came over for dinner, clearly upset because so many of her friends were getting ready to leave for the Magic Kingdom within the next few days. I poured her a glass of wine as she told me that it’s her only wish experience walking down Main Street at least one more time with all of her kids, but it is seeming to become a more distant possibility with each passing day. It was then that I reminder her of the famous Walt Disney quote:
The greatest moments in life are not concerned with selfish achievements, but rather with the things we do for the people we love and esteem.
Of course, she was confused, so we handed her a present; a set of wrapped Mickey ears…. which she also didn’t understand. I had to tell her, “We are taking her to Walt Disney World,” (a few times, actually) before it sank in: the whole family is taking you to Disney World.
It may not be a clever spell, it may not be a well planned and beautiful ritual… but seeing my mother’s face lighting up when she realized that she would once again be stepping foot on Main Street Station was the most magical moment in my entire life. Yes, I am excited about going to Disney as well, but allowing my mom to be a child for once in her life was the most heartwarming experience in my entire life.
It isn’t hocus pocus… but its magic.
The Witch D 