If we could live life like a 2 ½ year old in Disneyland

Inspired by a trip to Disneyland with my Granddaughter.

If we could live life like a 2 ½ year old in Disneyland, we’d go to magical places and be entirely in the moment. We wouldn’t be rushing to get to see everything, we’d be happy to just be wherever we are. We’d trust those that guide us, even as we go somewhat cautiously to rather loud and dark and exciting places.  We’d just cover our ears if it’s too noisy, and we’d curiously notice all that is around us.

Sometimes we’d be so curious, we’d end up somewhere that scared us, but our guides would cuddle us and speak soothing words, and we’d know that we are safe.  They’d even remind us that we can stand tall, announce ourself and say “you can’t scare me!”  Or  we’d learn to growl like a tiger at tigers that growl at us because that’s quite fun.

When we are tired in the middle of the day, we’d just cover our head with a blankie and nap. (A stroller works great.)  When we wake, we’d wonder what’s for dinner and we’d know that food will arrive. It’s okay if it isn’t shaped like a Mouse, but it’s funny if it is. Sipping milk through a straw that turns colour with each sip is also great fun.  And we just aren’t going to eat a thing if we aren’t hungry, no matter how much someone might want us to. 

And if its fresh buttered popcorn we want, then it’d be fresh buttered popcorn we’d eat.

Oh the excitement when we really see magical beings…  whether they are faeries or princesses or great big fuzzy bears.  Sure, we’ve never doubted their existence, but we’d be so pleased to meet them here… and they’d be pleased to meet us too.. because they’ve run into people often enough who don’t believe in them, so it’s lovely when we arrive and know that they are real.

We’d be so intrigued by the stories told in castles that later we’d re-enact it and make up our own stories with little toy characters – loving every minute of our imaginary play.

We’d notice as we walk that we have a really lovely shadow and we’d run and hop with it in the middle of the street.. so entranced we wouldn’t even notice the other people trying to get by us.  And they wouldn’t mind that we might hop right in front of them, because .. well… they are in a magical place too. 

When we don’t feel like dancing, we’d say so.  And when we do, we’d grab our Nana and dance together twirling and singing and laughing.

We’d climb mountains, swing on rope swings, and try to scale anything that looks like it has a foothold.  In the moment, practising our balance on a little wall has the same value as a wild boat ride.

But oh, the wild boat rides are delightful.. full of mystery and intrigue and waterslides.  “Oh my! I love that song,” we’d think.  Then we’d sing “Yo ho yo ho” and “Once upon a Dream” whenever and wherever we feel like it. 

Opening Nana’s locket and asking Papa’s spirit to join us on the boat ride would be as natural and normal as having lunch.  And you’d be happy because Nana would be smiling that special way, and you’d know something you did has given another person such joy.

And if we wanted to, we’d ride a gilded horse over and over and over again and no doubt be crowned ‘Princess of the Carousel.’  Yes, others would happily acknowledge our joyful spirit.

We’d be full of wonder and laughter as we watched Aladdin and Jasmine and Genies dance and sing and the next day we would hug Jasmine dearly because now that we knew her story we would feel just that much closer to her.

When streamers and glitter are tossed in the air during magical parades, we’d run to gather them before the cleaning people could get to them!  Then we’d twirl, and scrunch, and toss our streamers into the air before giving them to our guides for safekeeping.

When we’d travel to a little island, we’d be happy to sit in the dirt and talk to the ducks because they are as magical as the faeries.  And when someone announces “Oh, look a treasure chest!” we’d notice it’s full of flat round things and we’d yell “Cookies!” because we’d know what would be the ideal treasure for us.

If we lived our life like a 2 ½ year old in Disneyland, we’d be in awe of how bright and beautiful and exciting and full of cookies the world can be.  And we’d never doubt even a moment that our guides are looking after us while we get to experience all the wonder and magic and adventure that the world holds.

And we’d laugh as we hugged our guides often, and giggle as we hugged ourselves too.

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By Janet L. Whitehead © 2009
May not be copied without written permission from the author.