My kingdom for a crumpet

It's embarrassing! I'm slightly ashamed to admit it.

But here's my secret wish: I'd really, really, really love it if the closest ladies in my life (counted on one hand - I don't bond easily, but I do bond deeply - and never mind the fact that two of them live so darned far away), could come over tonight and we would stay up all night, watching the royal wedding in the wee hours of the morning. We could dress in frilly dresses, eat scones and crumpets, and drink tea. While we were waiting, we could watch our favorite princess movies: The Princess Bride, of course!, Star Wars, Roman Holiday - can you think of others?

What's behind this shameful desire? I don't think it has anything to do with some yearning toward rescue by a Prince Charming. (I already have him, anyway.) I think it has to do with the whole magic thing. As a somewhat solitary child, I searched the back of closets looking for a way into Narnia, was convinced that there was a secret room in my grandparents' house, and dreamed many times that I could fly and breathe under water - if I could just remember how. (This led to a dangerous time in my life where I practiced jumping off of swings at the highest arc I could to see if I would remember how to fly, and dives to the bottom of the pool to test my aquatic breathing capabilities - thankfully self preservation took over in both instances.) I held leaf beauty pageants, talked to animals expecting them to answer, wandered outside looking carefully in tree stumps for entrances to fairy worlds, and felt deeply that I belonged to a world that I could not access.

So bring on the frilly dress, the tiara, and the magic wand. Wait! I'm mixing mythology. Maybe I really want to be the Fairy Godmother. Yes, that's it! I want to be able to use that magic. Fairy Godmothers are somewhat eccentric figures, coming and going at will, wearing whatever suits them. Maybe this:
maybe even this:

And that whole problem of distance and the fact that dear ones live so far away? No problem...I've got a magic wand.


Bring on those crumpets.




P.S. Speaking of magic, this is part of a magical piece of art given to me by one of those dear women I spoke of earlier. The artist is David Wooten and you can see more of his work here. What I would give to stand and observe him work!!


May we all find magic in ourselves and the world around us.