The Magic of the Moon Still Bewitches Me – Orange County Register

When the story was told to me, a young girl was on a road trip with her family when she turned to her father and said, “Look, the moon is following us.” Her father, a scientist, went into all the details of what happened to the moon to make it appear that way.

When he finished explaining, she smiled at him and said, “No, Daddy, you’re wrong; the moon follows us.” Then she read her book again.

As I listened to the story, I realized that not only could I have been that girl, I was still that girl. I’ve always believed in the magic of the moon, even while learning about science. The Man in the Moon was my muse that enabled me to create a world that transcended reality. He’s still my buddy.

“But you know better?” one might ask. Actually I know both. While facts enlighten me, imagination infatuates me. Do I want to swing on a star and carry home moonbeams in a jug, as the song goes? Absolutely. Do I think it’s possible? Let’s just say I prefer not to rule it out.

Whimsy is an odd bedfellow.

While I can still laugh at young Patty’s idea that a honeymoon meant the bride and groom took a hot air balloon ride to the moon, it also feeds me that I believed it was possible. “Is this the boy I want to go to the moon with?” became a question that carried me into adulthood. If I met someone who even understood the concept, I was ahead of the game.

Moon sightings comfort me. When the big round guy parks in front of the garden window in my kitchen, I put the kettle on. While drinking tea with the moon is a treat of the imagination, it’s also a reminder of possibility.

So if one day my column goes missing and you’re wondering where I am, just look up. You will find me at the edge of the moon following you.