Making Memories
I took my daughter and her friend to Disneyland last weekend.
It was hot. It was crowded. It was expensive. The food was disgusting and overpriced. The shops were full of plastic baubles that will end up in the land fill.
And.
I loved it.
The girls and I would emerge from the crowds, one ten year old girl in each hand , ‘Hold on girls!”, I would say, and away we would go, weaving in and out and through masses of people navigating our way from It’s A Small World to the other end of the park to Pirates Of The Caribbean, the girls giggling nervously, me squeezing their hands tight so as not to loose either of them. I would find myself simply feeling awestruck, mesmerized as we walked along, feeling as if in a time warp, experiencing the same feelings I must have had as a child, when my dad and grandparents took me to Disneyland. I would walk along the very same spots,… there…where I met Alice In Wonderland, there… where I had an ice cream cone, there…where I rode the teacups, remembering what it was like to be there as a child, the lights twinkling, the warm balmy nights (I am from northern California, where seldom is there a warm and balmy night) and it is truly nothing less than magical.
What is it about that place?
Do they put something in the water to make you remember the good feelings only, forgetting the not-so-good? In the end, wanting to go back again? I mean really. You wait in line at least 30 minutes per ride, it takes another 30 minutes to maneuver from one end of the park to another, it is exasperatingly hot and the food is lousy. And then I say “Let’s go back!” What gives here? It defies all logic.
I will tell you what it is.
One of the highlights for me on this trip was to see Tinkerbell fly. I swear, I thought I was 5 years old again. I could not take my eyes off her, flying soooo high in the sky (flailing, it looked to me, but that is beside the point) . It was magical. Really. I had seen that once before in my life and I have a very vivid memory of it. That was the year I also got a Tinker Bell doll; I cherished that doll. And, I realize, that is it. It is the deeply held memories that come flooding back. Childhood is so fleeting, and is so full of feeling. I believe that if you had been to Disneyland as a child, you can not stay away for long. If, in my adult life I can reach back in time for a moment and capture that feeling, again, then I will pay ridiculous sums of money for food that I would not even glance at while at home, struggle through crowds, stand in line and drip in sweat. If only to feel that long lost feeling. This is my theory, and I’m sticking to it.
Fashion, Disney Style
On another note, I enjoyed people-watching while I was there. I discovered that neon pink and neon green shoes are coming back in style, in case you were wondering when that fad would show up again. I really should have saved my neon green plastic biker jacket that I loved so in the 80′s. Also, people buy Disney wear that they would never wear outside of the park. And they wear it with zeal in the moment. I am convinced though, that they do not wear the bridal Mickey Mouse ears, or the Mickie Mouse sorcerer hat ever again, once they get home. You will, however, see me in my Tinker Bell sweat pants, if you stop by unannounced. What can I say?
I can say , thank goodness I traveled with my Dash Natural Mineral Makeup. It multi-tasked as concealer, foundation and sunscreen to protect my skin from the sun, and keep me looking fresh all day! Love it!
And of course, through all this, I had my handcrafted jewelry on. You have to look your best, just in case you get to take a photo with Prince Charming. And don’t forget, you have to compete with all those darn princesses.
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