How to keep the magic alive

Just outside our red front door, underneath a miniature rose bush, lives a magical world of fairies.

A tiny metal bench and bridge. A tiny, bright red and wooden picnic table. A tiny wheelbarrow and watering can. Colorful stepping stones, glittering rocks and rose petals. Every design element placed by one of my 6-year-old daughters.

Each morning they rise and notice all the amazing changes the fairies (not the wind) have done to the garden.

Then, an idea! “I’m going to tell the fairies that I wish for a unicorn to fly me around!” one of my daughters said, grabbing a piece of paper and writing a note with her best handwriting. Then her sister wrote a similar note with the same wish.

They stuck them carefully under the pink rose bush, tucked neatly in the fairies’ garden.

And, for two mornings … utter disappointment and teary eyes at the realization of no unicorn.

“Maybe they haven’t gotten the notes yet,” I said, grasping to hold on to this most magical childhood moment. “It’s a very big request.”

On the third day, the notes were gone.

Cheers of excitement and the happiest smiles filled the house.

The notes were swept up by one older, curly haired fairie trying desperately, with all her might, to figure out how in the world to deliver a unicorn to that house with the red front door just to keep the magic alive for two of the sweetest little fairies she knows.