To Relive That Magic

The kids scream in excitement, pushy as any adult can be.  Eyes shine, as bright as new pennies, as they gaze in wonder at all they see around them. I am shiny eyed and filled with awe too- but I'm a bigger kid.  I'm 17 years old and I am visiting- for the first time- a very magical place.  The place of dreams that come true.  The place that makes kids young and old alike look at the world in a new way.  This wonderful place that I got the chance to see was Disney World. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

It's been twenty-eight years but I can can still see the park like it was yesterday.  People -like an explosion of humanity- fill the park from the early morning hours until closing time each night.  Smiles fill each face, all the problems,all the reasons to be an adult, have disappeared.  Adults and kids hold hands tightly, and eyes big as saucers take in all the colors and smells of popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, drinks, and wondrous treasures, a different kind of bling- on every corner.

Of course, a lot has changed in the years since I've been there, but my memories are as real to me as if I'd just left the park.  It's "A Small World" still rings in my head, and I can recall those chirpy words, on a continuous loop, like it was yesterday.  I can still see feet dangling off of a ledge-pirates no less-before we go under an archway-on our boat ride-and breathlessly wait for the next adventure they have in store for us.

I still have the photos of that magical time with my mom.  I am probably the most care-free that I can remember-in those pictures.  I look young, happy, and life still has many possibilities in store for me.  I remember that night mom and I -and the folks that were with us on that bus tour-lined up outside of a Burger King and waited to order at an outside window-for bus tours, such as ourselves.

The wind was just right, blowing my hair which tickled the side of my face. It is the perfect weather in my mind, and a temperature that would be fantastic anywhere, year round.  The automobiles-are a background humming noise, they are so unobtrusive, and the murmur of the other people in our group-to this day- remains a pleasant background music in my mind.

My mom and I went on many tours-over the years-but this memory, as a teenager- remains one of my favorites. So it's no wonder I found- in a search- that Disney world was one of the top attractions for kids to visit in Orlando, Florida. http://travelwithkids.about.com/  

This memory was special, in many ways, but I remember too-my mom and I are at our closest-no disagreeing, which was something, as I was a teenager at the time.  We are the most relaxed.  And our inner child, that  longs for no responsibilities, and the ability to let our imaginations go where they wanted to, was alive and well.

It was my mom's dream -long ago- to take my daughter to Disney World, and it's a dream I hope to make come true, because to relive that magic -of that day with mom- and to make new memories with my daughter would truly be special.   So to Disney World I tip my hat and say "Thank you".