“Each of us has a dream, a heart’s desire that calls to us. And when we’re brave enough to listen and bold enough to pursue, that dream will lead us on a journey to discover who we are. All we have to do is look inside our hearts and unlock the magic within.”*

I was sitting in the Tiki Birds attraction with my daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law. The same exact birds with their mechanical sounds and movements that I saw when I was a kid…decades ago. As I watched, I had a flashback of hearing rain and sitting in the room with my mother, dad, and brother back in the 1970’s. I don’t have many actual memories of my father when he was still alive. He died in 1981 after a long illness so having that memory was very special. And then, the program concluded with the sound of intense rain and I knew the memory was true and that our family had come back to life in that Tiki Bird show, if only for a few moments. 

The last time I was at Disney World, I was celebrating my 30th birthday and my daughter was five. Now, she’s in her 30’s and her daughter is four. Experiencing it through my granddaughter’s heart opened a doorway for me to remember…to embrace my imagination, my child self.

The short time we were there, we claimed every moment of magic we could. My tech savvy daughter and son-in-law kept us moving from princesses to roller coasters to shows in a seemingly endless parade of fun. One day over eight miles walking…the next day over eleven miles of walking and opening to the creative genius of the Imagineers.

I’d forgotten what a roller coaster junkie I am and the two new ones, Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy, were epic. And new, mega-famous princesses and stories and attractions related to the new characters were top rate in regard to animation, presentation, and WOW factor. 

Many Disney World attractions have changed over the decades since I visited; however, a few remain the same. And that familiarity opened the door to a treasured memory from my own childhood while I created new ones with Emily, Max, and Kevin. 

Even though I returned home utterly exhausted, I feel a deep sense of renewal and opening, of looking within and listening to my heart so the magic within can be unlocked once more. 

*Introduction to Disney World fireworks presentation each night.