Summary

The author, Daniella, recounts a playful day at the park with her children where they engage in imaginative play, rekindling her desire to reclaim the magic and innocence of her childhood.

Abstract

Daniella, a mother and writer, shares a personal story about a day spent at a local park with her children and dog, where they all immerse themselves in a world of fantasy. She becomes "Mistress Bella Dona," a feared witch in their make-believe game, and through this experience, she is reminded of her own childhood, filled with imagination and wonder. Daniella reflects on how her childhood was cut short by strict religious expectations, which stifled her creativity and sense of self. She mourns the loss of her carefree youth and resolves to reclaim it, not just for herself but to protect the childhoods of her own children from similar constraints. The author emphasizes the importance of holding onto one's imagination and identity, despite societal and religious pressures to conform.

Opinions

Daniella values the power of imagination and its role in childhood, considering it a treasure to be protected.
She believes that her childhood was unfairly impacted by the imposition of religious rules and expectations.
The author feels a strong connection to the fantastical elements of her play, such as witches, dragons, and fairies, seeing them as symbols of creativity and freedom.
Daniella is determined to shield her children from the same loss of imagination and innocence that she experienced.
She rejects the notion that she needs to conform to social or religious norms to be loved or accepted.
The author views her stick as more than just an object; it is a symbol of her reclaimed childhood and her identity as "Mistress Bella Dona."
Daniella issues a warning to those who would impose restrictive norms, invoking a biblical passage that condemns false accusations and the harming of the innocent.

I See A Wand

I’m taking back my childhood ❤

A new-found treasure (author’s own photo & hand)

I got to go on a walk with my kids and my dog today. It was nice to shake up the mundane and get some exercise. I’m more of a cloudy-day kind of girl, but the sun and fresh air felt good.

We’re fortunate enough to live down the street from a simple park. “Park” is a generous description: it consists of two swings, a picnic table covered by a small awning and a slightly dilapidated play set.

But for me and my kids, it became a far off land. Picking up a stick/sword from the ground, Benjamin became Ben The Brave, a knight of Queen Eleanor's court entrusted to defeat the fire-breathing dragon that threatened to destroy their vast kingdom. Roxanna transformed into Quill, the forest fairy who could talk to animals. She was able to tell Ben that the dragon DID NOT want to hurt anyone, but was seeking a safe place to lay her eggs.

The kids insisted on me playing, too.

“Who are you going to be, mom?” Ben asked me with huge, expectant eyes.

I picked up my own stick off the ground and announced:

“I AM MISTRESS BELLA DONA, THE MOST FEARED WITCH IN THE LAND! THOSE DRAGON’S EGGS WILL BE MINE!!!”

The kids screamed and ran off, me hot on their trail (the dog was confused). I started casting spells with my “wand”, but Ben The Brave was ready to defend his Queen! Quill backed Ben up with her magical bow and arrows! Our battle was epic and, in the end, good prevailed. Mistress Bella Dona was defeated for now, encased in stone for the next one hundred years. The people of the land celebrated and Quill’s fairy folk joined the kingdom, swearing their allegiance to the good and just Queen Buttercup.

As we walked back home, I hung back a bit. Just me and the dog, slowly making our way back to reality.

But I didn’t want to go back. I think I know why.

I want my childhood back. I want to be that girl once more. The one who loved Rainbow Bright and pretended to shoot rainbows from her palms. The girl who ran with wolves, barefoot through the forests of a far-off land. The girl who’s hair always refused to stay put in carefully woven braids and who fell asleep on the mossy banks of an icy, clear river. The one who collected stars and kept them in a jar beside her bed; a hammock in a treehouse. The innocent child who built leprechaun traps and hoped to catch one to ask the all important question: “Why is green your favorite color?”

My heart breaks because I know my childhood shouldn’t have been taken the way it was. I talk about it here:

Who is Daniella? ❤

My name is Daniella, but most people call me Dani for short. I was born and raised in the sunny, western United States…

medium.com

The adults responsible for keeping my childhood safe failed miserably. Instead of keeping it locked and under guard, it was blown wide open and I grew up way too soon. The witches and wizards of my imagination were burned at the stake of religious rules, the dragons shackled and imprisoned deep within the recesses of “biblical guidelines” and my beloved Halloween sacrificed on the altar of the “Pursuit of Holiness”.

For years, I held onto the tiniest spark within my being: hope. I’d hoped that one day I’d do enough good to redeem the nagging within myself that reminded me I needed to “grow up” and be a good Christian for God to love me.

But I was a liar, and being untrue to myself.

While I watched the adults around me wash away all the things I loved, I took little Dani by the hand and imprisoned her in a steel cage of commandments and non-negotiable regulations. I couldn’t let anyone see her anymore.

I don’t need to DO anything. I don’t need to conform to a social norm or wear a fake mask to make everyone around me comfortable. I am ME.

I hereby take back what is rightfully mine: The mermaid migration to warmer waters; the fairies with monarch wings on their way to Australia to celebrate the winter solstice, the kind autumn witches who bake apple bread and pumpkin cookies, the wizards with baby dragons for pets, and the enchanted library with every single book ever written. It all belongs to me!

I took the stick home and placed it on my desk. It’s my WAND, not just a stick. I am Mistress Bella Dona, the most feared witch in the land!

I’m taking back my childhood, dammit. And I’ll be guarding my kids’ childhoods with the wrath of all the witches before me. The ones who’s love of black cats and nature made them targets, and their punishment for being different was to be hung or burned at the stake.

A little fire couldn’t kill us. The noose no longer strikes fear in our hearts.

Beware, oh you “Righteous Ones”. In Exodus 23:7 it reads: Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.

We’re coming for you, and we’re taking our childhood BACK!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this. I truly, truly appreciate it. Take care of yourself and go for a walk. ❤