2 Mice, 2 Ducks, and a Dog

I got back early Sunday morning from a trip to the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. While it was amazing, there were some painful times that I’d rather not discuss (aside from saying that I cried in a bathroom stall when I hit my breaking point). Fortunately, I felt upset in one of the best places in the world in which to feel upset. Here’s what I mean.

After a good cry, I decided to meet some of the costumed characters. On my way over to Main Street, Grayson the pianist cheered me up by playing some Muppet songs that somebody else requested and “Step in Time” (along with a medley of other Mary Poppins songs) that I requested. I then met Mickey Mouse at the Town Square Theatre. We high-fived, hugged, took some pictures together, and he signed my park map. I felt so good after that that I decided to go meet some other characters. Unfortunately, although I had noticed Winnie the Pooh and Tigger next to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride earlier, the opportunity to meet them had already ended for the day by the time I went back over there. I carried on and got to meet Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Goofy in Mickey’s Storybook Circus. Just like with the Mickey meeting, we hugged, high-fived, shook hands, posed for pictures, and talked a bit. They all really cheered me up during the hardest part of my trip. When I went back to meet Mickey a second time later on, I told him how much better they all made me feel when I was feeling really upset earlier. He listened intently while quietly showing me support and then drew me a heart in the air with his hands! That made my whole day, and I’d even say it made my whole trip.

I felt more loved and valued from those wonderful character moments than I have from most humans I’ve known throughout my life. I teared up while talking to Mickey during our second visit and cried pretty well from joy later on. Since none of those characters speak when they’re interacting with guests, there wasn’t the opportunity for any of them to start talking about their own pain or anything else along those lines when I shared my feelings. There was also no unsolicited advice, “good vibes only” stuff, or anything similar that almost everyone I know compulsively resorts to when I talk about feeling upset or having a hard time. Quiet support, kindness, hugs, and love were what they all gave me. That’s exactly what I wanted and needed. I appreciate them for making me feel so much better.

Those character experiences reminded me of a few things. One of them is how much better I feel after good hugs. I don’t get enough good hugs in regular life, so getting ten or more great hugs in one day made me feel wonderful. The other is that I still feel like a kid in a grownup body. Just as it doesn’t take much to make me smile, neither does it take much to make me feel awful. Since the world is full of mean humans (and since I have to deal with one of them at my job), I wish I could opt out of adulthood and become a little kid again. I wish I could play all day with my stuffed animals while going to Disney World regularly and then tell my grandparents about my trip at their house as we’re all hanging out with my dog Sawyer. It hurts whenever I remember that those days are gone forever, at least for my remaining time on Earth. I hope I’ll find something like that after I die.

I’m so glad I got to have those wonderful character moments. They saved my trip, and they were among my favorite experiences in the Magic Kingdom last weekend. I hope to have many more such comforting experiences, and I’d love it if they came from those close to me without my having to beg and plead for them. That’d be much easier, cheaper, and overall more convenient than driving hours to an expensive theme park to get them. I guess time will show who cares about me more: those close to me who claim to appreciate me or strangers who go above and beyond at their jobs.