Through Another’s Eyes
Recently, my (WDWParkhopper John) Mom visited Sid and I and we were privileged enough to spend a few days with her on property. That may sound like a trivial statement to some of you, but to my Mom and I, it’s the culmination of decades of wishes and prayers.
My Mom grew up in a very strict religious household. Nothing crazy, but she was not able to watch TV or go to places like Disney World. But my Mom, being the “resourceful” child that she was, managed to sneak a few peeks at the magic of Walt Disney over at a friend’s house from time to time. And she fell in love with the magic of Disneyland, especially the castle. But she never dreamed that she would be able to see that castle in person. And a dream was sparked.
Several years later, she married and had an amazing young baby boy (me), and never got the opportunity to visit the newly built Magic Kingdom in Florida. Money was always too tight, or the time was never quite right for a family vacation. And so her desire to visit the most Magical Place On Earth was buried beneath family responsibility.
Flash forward several more years, and she found herself standing on the banks of Seven Seas Lagoon, overlooking the most majestic and wonderful dream come true: Cinderella Castle. But that day was a whirlwind of activity, because we only had one day in the park. Time, again, was not on our side. I could only take a day off, and Mom could only sneak away for the 1 day at Disney. But recently, that all changed with a reservation for 3 days at Port Orleans Riverside.We spent every moment of each day exploring the magic and wonder of Walt Disney World; meeting characters, riding rides, enjoying the restaurants, and coming home to the relaxing beds of the resort.
And Sarah and I got to experience our favorite place with someone new to the magic. For us, it was almost as awesome of a trip as it was for my Mother. We saw everything through her eyes… As she watched musicals and parades, conquered mountains and created new memories. It was truly magical.
