My First Magical Moment

I was at Epcot with two other newly-made friends when the magic happened. We had been walking through the park for almost an hour, exchanging stories about our new jobs and Mickey Mouse-filled lives. The nighttime breeze was refreshing but chilly, bringing goosebumps to my arms and sharpening the sight of the full moon’s path over the water. A voice came over the park, promising a fireworks show in just five minutes, so naturally people began to squeeze around the fence that overlooked the polished lake. I hadn’t seen the show before, so my friends and I joined the madness and slightly uncomfortable proximity. As the music began in all of its cheesy (but wonderful) Disney glory, fireworks began to go off and the globe in the center of the lake flashed images and stories. It was stunning, but my breath was taken not by the loud bursts of color in the sky but a little girl on her dad’s shoulders. She was around three or four, with wispy blonde hair in pigtails and the biggest smile I have ever seen. Her chubby little arms were waving and pumping in the air, as she literally cheered on the fireworks by shouting, “Woohoo! Great one! Let’s go!” Like the world’s tiniest cheerleader, she squealed and laughed and screamed for her favorite torrents of vivid light. Her eyes and smile held so much happiness, and her fists were thrust as high as she could hold them- it was all I could do not to cry. What if people always took in life like that? Cheering on the world, even though the noise and smoke. Even through the crowds and new experiences and what was probably a really long day. Watching the reds and golds and blues of the fireworks reflecting on her tiny cheeks made me feel just as magical as she must have been feeling. What a wonderful thing to be young and vibrant, I thought, and how amazing it must feel to be so connected with life and its immeasurable beauty. And then, in the final sizzle of champagne colored lights that dripped from the sky, I realized I had that choice. Every single day. Cliché? Oh definitely. But magical? More doubtless than a little girl cheering on the sky.