This
week, when little Harleigh came to stay, we decided that we would go
into the woods where we live and introduce our newest member of
the Walsh clan to the little people of the woods. I have to stress
that the Walsh fairies have always been woodland fairies. Not to be
mistaken for water nymphs, leprechauns, boggits or imps. They are
good fairies, who protect the woodlands and young humans from
anything bad.
Because
Harleigh is not yet three years old, we had to go during the day to
look for the fairies, and everyone knows that all the little people
sleep during the day, so we had little chance of seeing one up close.
But we did look down some fairy trees which have large holes at the
base to let the small people in to sleep. Both little Harleigh and
myself were convinced that we saw a little person wrapped in a leaf
blanket asleep in the tree, so we whispered our hello and moved on.
I
explained to Harleigh as we walked through the wood that when she was
born a little light appeared in a leaf boat on the sea of dreams.
Then the lock keeper pulled in the boat and from the boat flew a
little fairy called Bluebell. This little fairy flew to where
Harleigh lay asleep and kissed her. This is how we all get our very
own fairy.
We then
walked down to a large clearing at the bottom of the wood by the
river and said our hellos to the water nymphs. I then showed Harleigh
the meeting place where the fairies gather each evening to sing and
dance. Lots of animals come to have their differences sorted of by
the king and queen of the fairies, before each one flies off to see
that their child is safe asleep in bed. Nona Carol told me that I
must not frighten Harleigh with my stories but Harleigh was so
excited to be meeting them all. She was so excited that she stood in
the fairy clearing and did a little dance, then asked me, “Babo,
can fairy see me dance?” I told her the fairies will love her
dancing, then we wrote a little note and left it in the fairy post
box.
When we
arrived back home Harleigh told Nona Carol all about the fairies and
how she saw one asleep. Later when her mama and papa came to pick her
up she also told them about her day with such excitement I thought
she would burst.
But
little Harleigh is also at that age where every bump and click in the
night is sure to be something bad. We have all been there. The
monsters under your bed. When you lie awake at night as a child and
the pattern on your wallpaper turns into a face. When a door clicks
open seemingly by itself, it's a sure sign that the bogeyman is on his
way! These are the nightmares of children the world over. For some,
they are real nightmares. I have worked with young people who for
them the click of the latch on their bedroom door is a sign of real
terror, a terror brought to them by someone who should be there to
love and protect them, not abuse them! While for others, night time
terrors are the terrors of war, real fears.
But
here in this little wood where we live, the night time terrors are
just terrors of the mind. They are just a product of a young and
fertile imagination. They exist to be a safe way to warn us that that
there can be real dangers in this world. But as adults it is our job
to teach our young about safety while making sure they are safe.
I
explained to Harleigh when she awakes sometimes while sleeping over
at our house that although the wood looks very scary with the trees
swaying in the wind, it's quite safe for her in the house. I tell her
that nothing can get in the house and that outside the fairies are
looking after both her and all the animals. I have also told her that
she also has a secret weapon, she has a Babo! I have told her that no
monster no matter how big or bad they are would dare go near Harleigh
because they would have to get past Babo first and there's no way
that could ever happen. And if Babo wasn't around they would have an
even bigger problem because they would have to face Nona Carol and
even Babo is scared of Nona Carol.
I guess
we all have our fears!
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