A Magic Feather

 Yesterday I was explaining to a sweet mother why her baby girl needed to learn to roll before she could crawl or walk.  I haven't had a parent yet tell me that it is their ultimate goal that their child learn to roll.  No, the goal is for them to walk, of course.  But, as I told this mom, it is not the skill of rolling that we are so concerned with her learning, it is a concept.  She needs to know she can get from point A to point B on her own.  If she doesn't believe she can do that, she won't even try to crawl or walk.  Those skills will be much more challenging for her, and she will only succeed if she believes she has it in her power to do so.

I smiled then.  My own words had jogged a memory of Isaac standing in the line of Disneyland's Dumbo ride.  He clutched a "Magic Feather" and watched the other rider's soar above him with wonder shining in his eyes.  The little black feather made of wood looked so big in his tiny hands.  The ride's operator had given one of these symbols of hope to each special needs child waiting in line.  It guaranteed their wait would not be long.  I keep a little figurine of Dumbo, flying with his magic feather, in a prominent place in my home to remind me of what great things hope can accomplish. 

I told this little girl's mother that helping her daughter learn to roll was like giving her Dumbo's magic feather.  If her daughter could believe in her own ability to change her surroundings by moving through them on her own, the more difficult skills would eventually come.  I think sometimes, we could all use a magic feather.  We are capable of so much if we truly believe we can do it.