Yes, I know – what the heck has leaving your bottle on the table got to do with doors? Well, this blog is inspired by the fairy doors of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Does that make sense now? ;-)

Do you remember in Alice in Wonderland, where she had to eat the biscuit (was it a biscuit?), to shrink small enough to enter the door to follow the White Rabbit? Well, when she did, she left the bottle with the potion to make her tall again on top of the glass table. Which she couldn’t possibly climb … she was eventually washed through the little door into the middle of a dodo race! These little fairy doors in Ann Arbor, created out of love by an illustrator by the name of Jonathon Wright, remind me very much of Alice’s little door.

Jonathon Wright lives in Michigan, and his wife once ran a preschool centre from their house. One day, Jonathon had the cute and touching idea to captivate the children’s imagination by constructing a fairy door in the house. The kids were so delighted that he has been constructing them all over town, ever since. They appear outside businesses and in public places.

One of the most poignant parts of the story, for me, was hearing that every day children leave offerings and presents for the fairies outside their doors. Aren’t kids great!! So beautiful, giving and genuine. Money, candy (as they are in America, they don’t have ‘lollies’ ;-)), even tiny hand knitted socks and handmade felt hats and boots have been left for the fairies. I can just imagine these kids going happily to sleep at night, imagining the fairies wearing the hats and boots they made … and I have no doubt that some magical spirit somewhere responds to this gorgeous generosity, bringing the kids joy and happiness. If only we could mobiles kids on behalf of the starving sick people in the Third World, the plight of the atmosphere and climate, or the many disappearing and beautiful species in the world.

On the other hand, perhaps it is all just a clever scheme by Wright to make a living out of kids’ pocket money … !!

          

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