Magic Realized.

The Little Girls have this movie about a girl who is half mermaid, half human. She changes from one form to another by touching her necklace and saying, "I wish to be a mermaid." The other day at Savannah's school's Book Fair, Ivy saw the mermaid book with accompanying necklace and begged me to buy it. I realized after the purchase it was the necklace she wanted not the book because the moment we walked in the front door she squealed with anticipation while asking me to fasten it around her neck. Her eyes were wild with delight as she looked from me to Savannah leaning forward and whispering "I hope it works..." She gently pinched the shell with her fingers, squeezed her eyes tightly and said, "I wish to be a mermaid." Then she looked down to her toes expecting to see a tail and fin. She looked back up at me, quizzically. Her face was a mixture of sadness and relief. She just stood there for a minute then her face lit up with an idea. She leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "Mama, I think it only works in water. Is it bath time yet?" I realized just then that I love and hate these moments of childhood discovery. When magic attempted, fails. Reality sets in and that idyllic blindfold of innocence slips away from the mind's eye. For Ivy, the merciful blessing of a young imagination hasn't left her jaded. She will undoubtedly try magic again.