My childhood escapes

When I was a kid, I loved unicorns. Really, really loved unicorns. My Dad was moving some furniture around this summer and found these two bookmarks of mine, from an elementary school book fair. NPR had a story today about why girls love unicorns (and horses and dolphins). I can't say I disagree with it. Unicorns made me feel connected to something magical and special; two things I wanted to be. I like what the article has to say, about how these creatures are connected to power and transformation. Unicorns perfectly fit with my young self's want to escape, which I usually accomplished through books.

Once, when we lived in Connecticut, we went on a ferry ride and my parents bought me two porcelain unicorns from the boat's gift shop. I was never very good at expressing what I wanted, and I must have made it clear that I wanted these figurines, because I got them. I loved them. Several years later, my brother and I got in a fight and he broke them. We were living in Columbus at that point. I took their broken pieces up to our treehouse and sobbed over them - I remember that clearly - that heartbreak. They were my most beloved objects. For years I kept their broken pieces in a special place.

Finding these bookmarks took me to another time, which I appreciated. I'd love to go back to those days spent in my imagination.

Comments

[Amy]

I had the bookmark on the left! I, too, was obsessed with unicorns. I collected them for ages. I've gotten rid of all but one, tiny unicorn- just to remind myself that there still is magic in the world, even if I'm old now. :)

[Amanda]

I definitely had at least one of those, too. I used to get them from the book fair!

[Jennifer]

The Eldest Lamblet was obsessed with them as well, and although not as much, the love is still there.

[Claire Helene]

Amy and Amanda - I love that you had the same bookmarks! God bless the Scholastic book fairs of our youths!

Jennifer, I'm glad to hear the Eldest Lamblet and I share our young love for unicorns. Tell her I say hi.