There are some places that defy definition, evade description, and contain a distinct brand of magic that is so uniquely special and other that it simply can’t be replicated.
For me, Disney World is one of those places.
There’s just something so utterly delightful about Disney that it’s impossible not to think of it as the “happiest place on Earth.” From the rides to the characters to the food to the overall ambiance, Disney defies the mundanity of everyday life and creates an environment – a mindset, really – where not only is anything possible, but you are actually encouraged to step into your power and own your individual magic.
Disney World has always been a special place for my family. Growing up, the four of us made the trek from Illinois to Orlando for several vacations, each one as special as the next. And regardless if I was two, twelve, or twenty-two years old, each and every experience was filled with novelty, newness, and undeniable magic. When you step foot onto the Disney property it’s impossible not to feel a sense of levity, calm, and inherent possibility; it’s not so much a dimming of reality as it is a broadening of your perspective and understanding of what could be.
Indeed, some folks view Disney as overly escapist or even toxic in its consistent messages of optimism and can-do spirit, but it’s not like that at all. Rather than blur reality into something far-fetched and unrealistic that never could be, Disney is proficient in highlighting the truth of what currently is and draws attention to the beauty and magic of the present moment and circumstance. With this perspective appropriately cast in the right direction, we often realize that things aren’t always what they seem (for better or for worse!), family is everything, and more often than not the “miracle” we need has been right inside us all along. In this way, Disney shines a light not on the fantastical and improbable, but on the fantastic, life-changing truth that is precisely what we need most and is yet often hiding from us within plain sight.
Last week my mom and I went to Disney for a girls’ trip, and it was exactly what I needed in an endless variety of meaningful ways. And while I’ll dig more into trip specifics in my post next week, I want to clearly emphasize this: Going to Disney World with my mom was exactly the fresh breath of perspective I needed. Sometimes our lives get so fast-paced, so agenda-filled, and even so serious that we forget to intentionally create moments for fun, levity, and playfulness. Life is nothing, if not one big grand adventure, but we so often get bogged down in the tactical minutia of our day-to-day existence that we not only forget to stop and smell the roses, but we also forget that the roses are even worth stopping by to smell in the first place.
What kind of existence is that?
What I’m saying is this: You don’t need to be a kid to go to Disney World, but going to Disney World helps you remember that you need to be a “kid” to navigate this difficult, complex, beautiful, and ever-changing thing we call life. For if we don’t stop and slow down to view our world with wonder, awe, joy, and amusement, then what is the actual point of it all? And if we can’t live in a world where silliness is not praised, laughter is not cherished, and individuality is not celebrated for the inexplicable messiness that it is, then what are we really doing with our lives?
Disney isn’t perfect by any means, but it does perfectly capture the essence of what it means to be human. Being human is complex, messy, terrifying, and often wrought with conflict and uncertainty, but it is also rife with growth, beauty, and infinite possibility. Disney teaches us to love hard, laugh often, and never take ourselves too seriously. That family is always around us, even in the most unusual characters and places. And that even when our world is filled with challenge, complexity, and strife, as long as we listen to the true, precious voice inside of us, then anything is possible, and we can never lose sight of who we truly are.
I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty stinking magical.
Long live the magic of Disney.
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