A Wrinkle in Time: Staircases and Wardrobes of Wonder

An empty wardrobe sits in the basement, a staircase that leads up to an apartment, a few steps leading down to a wooden convent door, and yet another that leads to a childs IMAGINATION.

 

All of these I can think back and feel the sense of wonder, yet where has the wonder gone? I at times feel that I have lost that other sense of mine. It is somewhere inside. I can taste it, feel it, and even get a glimpse of it, within the corner of my eye, taunting me to follow, yet I soon shift to the here and now of all that needs done instead of following the magic.

Second star to the right and straight onto morning!

Did I forget to clap my hands?

I Believe.... I Believe!!! 

A baby laughs and a fairy is born, yet did the parent squish it?

When did my sense of Wonder grow tired and overcast?

A little upstairs apartment, residing in the "City of Magic" none the less, is where my Aunt Julie and Uncle Mark called home. Walking up those stairs into it's cozy interior opened the many doorways of my child mind. A couch under the window became the doorway to other worlds of adventure and magic. It was there that the box set would come down from the top shelf and the world of Narnia exploded. It was there that A Wrinkle in time and A Swiftly Tilting Planet stretched my mind into other worlds.

At the beginning of the book (A Wrinkle in Time) , Meg is a homely, awkward, but loving girl, troubled by personal insecurities and her concern for her father, who has been missing for over a year.
 
The three Mrs. W's transport the children to Camazotz and instruct them to remain always in each other's company while on their quest for Mr. Murry. On Camazotz, all objects and places appear exactly alike because the whole planet must conform to the terrifying rhythmic pulsation of IT, a giant disembodied brain.
 
In the end, Mrs. Which tells her that she has one thing that IT does not have, and this will be her weapon against the evil. However, Meg must discover this weapon for herself. When standing in the presence of IT, Meg realizes what this is: her ability to love. Thus, by concentrating on her love for Charles Wallace, she is able to restore him to his true identity.  . The family joyously reunites.
*taken from sparknotes: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/wrinkle/summary.html


I could relate to Meg. I felt homely, insecure, and weak at times. I didn't deal well with the divorce of my parents at such a young age. A Wrinkle in Time took me to a place that if I could only LOVE hard enough maybe my family would be joyously reunited. That wasn't the case, yet I could Wish on the Star and Believe.  Growing up I, like Meg, would run from the Terrifying IT. I would not conform to your rhythmic pulses. I have my own drum!

Have I become IT with my own children? At times I see the terrifying IT come out to play, yet maybe then is when I need to bring out the drums. Remind my body of it's unique rhythm and allow my children to march to their own tune.

My Aunt Julie gifted me with my own set of The Chronicles of Narnia and my Uncle Mark was the music in my mind while reading those books. He would walk through buildings and make harmonic sounds, he could pick up any instrument and play it. I loved listening to him just sit and play his guitar. The Faun of Narnia he was with a head of hair to match.

 

Try to tell me different. This is one enchanting couple!

 

 

 My Aunt Julie was always this beacon of light. She had a spinning wheel that sat in the corner of her apartment. I was taught how to comb the wool and spin it into yarn, yet when I spun it became yarn of gold and Rumplestiltskin was keeping me company.

Outside we could walk down the stairs and over the black lake of asphalt to a lonely wooden door. There is where three little girls would knock and from that knock two little nuns, adorned in their habits, would appear. "Please can we play with your ball?" They would smile and present the Red Rubber Ball from behind their robes granting us hours of play.

After awhile the knock was not needed. They would just be there waiting with the ball and a smile. I wonder if they looked forward to those three little girls knocking on the back convent door. Did they miss us when we no longer appeared?
Those little nuns were mysterious, magical and kind in the eyes of one little girl. I wish I could return to thank them again for the joy and wonder they brought to my days of littledom.

My kingdom of Littledom is fighting the IT. To not force the IT on myself or my children. At times it is a struggle and I feel as if I am going to split, yet below I will hold this vision and remember the little girl and remind her to keep clapping and BELIEVE.