Neverland Away
"I think one remains the same person throughout life, merely passing, as it were, in these lapses of time from one room to another, but all in the same house. If we unlock the rooms of the far past we can peer in and see ourselves, busily occupied in beginning to become you and me." -J.M. Barrie
Chapter 7 Open Windows
Mr. Darling and Wendy took Peter home later that day. When they returned, all the boys cheered to see that their friend was well once again. "Peter," they asked "How is Neverland?" And a twinkle would gleam in Peter's eye as he told them all about how things had changed since the boys had left. Finally that night when the excitement calmed down and the boys went to bed, Peter whispered to Wendy that he needed to talk to her.
"Yes, Peter?" she asked, nervously sitting across from him.
"I didn't hear you as you said it," Peter explained "But now I remember exactly what you said."
"What I said?" Wendy asked, confused.
"Yes, about what it's like to grow up." he clarified before continuing, "How do you know?"
Wendy looked away, afraid he'd become upset with her. "Well, I've been doing quite a bit of it while you were gone." She sheepishly looked up and hastily added "And also, a grown-up told me!"
"A grown up, really? So they decided how they would grow up, and did it that way? They still had fun and adventures?" Peter asked. In all honesty, Wendy was a bit surprised, it seemed like he was actually considering growing up.
"Yes!" she hopefully cried, but then her tone changed. She realized it would be unfair to him not to let him in on the whole story "Of course you know Peter, there are responsibilities. You have to get a job, but it can be any job you like. And you have to go to school, but you can hear all sorts of stories about Napoleon, or Romeo and Juliet, or anything in the world. And of course there's paying for things you like instead of just taking them, and taxes, there's really no upside to that... But most of all you can always believe in fairies. Always and forever, Peter!"
"But you said I would always have your thimble, and you danced with another boy." Peter coaxed imploringly.
Wendy made an effort to look into Peter's eyes "I know, Peter. People don't always make the best choices." she explained.
"I suppose if I grew up I'd understand." Peter said. Peter had began to realize that Tinker Bell and Smee were right, he had felt something grown up and couldn't exactly go back to being what he was before that moment, no matter how much he wished he could.
Wendy silently looked at Peter, hopefully wondering what he was thinking. Peter could tell, and he smiled at her. Wendy's eyes lit up and she smiled back. He distinctly noticed something on the right side of her mouth he could tell was his... a kiss.
"I think it's funny," he said, "That I should hate to grow up so much, when in our home under the ground I played father and you played mother. Aren't those very grown up things to be?"
Wendy nodded, with a sophisticated smile on her face. "I suppose they are."
Peter could often be found in Kensington Gardens visiting Tink, and Wendy finished her book in three parts about her adventures. Eventually the two no longer had to play at being mother and father. Luckily for them Wendy's book was such a success (even though people thought it was just a fantasy story). The point is, it paid all the expenses, because Peter decided to be a writer too, though one of plays (so he could see his dreams come to life before his very eyes, and make actors say silly things like "I'm a codfish!"). Every night they told their children stories in the nursery. One time they saw a shadow floating independently about the room. It seems as if a baby had fallen out of his pram and run away.
The most important thing I think you can take from this story is also the most simple: Always believe in fairies. You see, Some people say when you are a child and when you are an adult, you are two separate people. This, however, is entirely untrue. There is no need to kill of little you, just so you can become a larger wiser version. More accurately, you are always the same person who changes over time. With every moment of your life, you stay in the same house, but continually discover and move through new rooms in it. Unfortunately, it is true that as you leave one room for another, the doors close behind you and lock. But, the thing is... the windows are always open, And adventure is always just a Neverland away.
The End
"I think one remains the same person throughout life, merely passing, as it were, in these lapses of time from one room to another, but all in the same house. If we unlock the rooms of the far past we can peer in and see ourselves, busily occupied in beginning to become you and me." -J.M. Barrie
Chapter 7 Open Windows
Mr. Darling and Wendy took Peter home later that day. When they returned, all the boys cheered to see that their friend was well once again. "Peter," they asked "How is Neverland?" And a twinkle would gleam in Peter's eye as he told them all about how things had changed since the boys had left. Finally that night when the excitement calmed down and the boys went to bed, Peter whispered to Wendy that he needed to talk to her.
"Yes, Peter?" she asked, nervously sitting across from him.
"I didn't hear you as you said it," Peter explained "But now I remember exactly what you said."
"What I said?" Wendy asked, confused.
"Yes, about what it's like to grow up." he clarified before continuing, "How do you know?"
Wendy looked away, afraid he'd become upset with her. "Well, I've been doing quite a bit of it while you were gone." She sheepishly looked up and hastily added "And also, a grown-up told me!"
"A grown up, really? So they decided how they would grow up, and did it that way? They still had fun and adventures?" Peter asked. In all honesty, Wendy was a bit surprised, it seemed like he was actually considering growing up.
"Yes!" she hopefully cried, but then her tone changed. She realized it would be unfair to him not to let him in on the whole story "Of course you know Peter, there are responsibilities. You have to get a job, but it can be any job you like. And you have to go to school, but you can hear all sorts of stories about Napoleon, or Romeo and Juliet, or anything in the world. And of course there's paying for things you like instead of just taking them, and taxes, there's really no upside to that... But most of all you can always believe in fairies. Always and forever, Peter!"
"But you said I would always have your thimble, and you danced with another boy." Peter coaxed imploringly.
Wendy made an effort to look into Peter's eyes "I know, Peter. People don't always make the best choices." she explained.
"I suppose if I grew up I'd understand." Peter said. Peter had began to realize that Tinker Bell and Smee were right, he had felt something grown up and couldn't exactly go back to being what he was before that moment, no matter how much he wished he could.
Wendy silently looked at Peter, hopefully wondering what he was thinking. Peter could tell, and he smiled at her. Wendy's eyes lit up and she smiled back. He distinctly noticed something on the right side of her mouth he could tell was his... a kiss.
"I think it's funny," he said, "That I should hate to grow up so much, when in our home under the ground I played father and you played mother. Aren't those very grown up things to be?"
Wendy nodded, with a sophisticated smile on her face. "I suppose they are."
Peter could often be found in Kensington Gardens visiting Tink, and Wendy finished her book in three parts about her adventures. Eventually the two no longer had to play at being mother and father. Luckily for them Wendy's book was such a success (even though people thought it was just a fantasy story). The point is, it paid all the expenses, because Peter decided to be a writer too, though one of plays (so he could see his dreams come to life before his very eyes, and make actors say silly things like "I'm a codfish!"). Every night they told their children stories in the nursery. One time they saw a shadow floating independently about the room. It seems as if a baby had fallen out of his pram and run away.
The most important thing I think you can take from this story is also the most simple: Always believe in fairies. You see, Some people say when you are a child and when you are an adult, you are two separate people. This, however, is entirely untrue. There is no need to kill of little you, just so you can become a larger wiser version. More accurately, you are always the same person who changes over time. With every moment of your life, you stay in the same house, but continually discover and move through new rooms in it. Unfortunately, it is true that as you leave one room for another, the doors close behind you and lock. But, the thing is... the windows are always open, And adventure is always just a Neverland away.
The End