Like most little girls at the age of 4, nothing significant impacted my whimsical existence of princesses and fairytales; nothing except the realization that magic did not exist.

Each day, I would wander the neighborhood catching butterflies and picking roses that smelled sweet like my mother’s perfume. With a smile gleaming from ear to ear, I would find delight in my imaginary world where fairies roamed the earth. Aside from strategizing the various methods to catch these creatures, my heart would fill with joy as I occasionally received letters from this enchanted land.

Sadly, I failed to acknowledge that fairies were simply a figment of my imagination and like most little girls, I lived happily inside this world of fairytales and pixie dust.

Within time, my fantasy soon clashed with reality. I will always remember finding the fake letters in my mother’s drawer. My world came crashing down after my discovery and alas my faith in any such fantasy became nonexistent.

Before I wrote this editorial, my mind was preoccupied with the usual anxieties: studying and college applications. Frustrated by this overwhelming workload, I found myself searching through cabinets for papers that had gone astray, when I spotted the familiar stationary glimmering. In the blink of an eye, my childhood memories sprang into existence as I laughed, rejoicing the days I lived happily ever after.

I couldn’t help but wonder if my perception of love and happiness had all led back to the moment my fantasy came crashing beneath my feet? Instead of dreading the past, I simply decided to look to my future with the spirit and optimism of a little girl.

Legends still speak of a secret realm of fairies, small beings with wings and mystical eyes characterizing the ideal beauty of life. It is almost impossible to spot these mischievous creatures, their presence uplifting and beautiful. Yet in a flash of heavenly light, gone.

Perhaps magic truly does exist, for I am certain that my tale will end happily ever after. •