Hero

One of the most interesting and fascinating traits of a child's personality is their seemingly eternal innocence. The world that we, as adults, see before us is entirely different if viewed through a child's eyes. And since their observations are so keen, it is not surprising that the things moms and dads around the world do and say cause such a permanent effect on our children's thinking.

It is up to us to make their world safe, warm, inviting and fun...As well as we are to blame if they end up having a negative perspective of life. Sure, there will come a time when they will learn that the world they live is not perfect, but that is something that they should discover on their own, as the years go by. If you ask me, I will try to preserve the innocence in my girls as long as I possibly can.

Sometimes this worries me. Have a done a good job so far? Does Eli believe in fairy tales and magic potions? Does Victoria really think I have gone away and come back quickly when we play peek-a-boo? Have I done something so wrong that it has changed their view of life, specially Elizabeth's because of her age? Have I taught her something that I am not proud of, that she can't unlearn?

Most parents must ask themselves this every once in a while, and sometimes we are lucky and unexpectedly get an answer on a beautiful and sunny day while sitting outside, blowing bubbles.

Eli and I were having one of those relaxing afternoons, blowing bubbles, sitting on rocking chairs outside my mother in law's house. Then Elizabeth began to defy gravity by rocking back and forth as far as she could and I began to panic. - You're going to fall - I said nervously. But she, of course, did not believe she could fall, so she smiled and assured me that she was just fine. Not only that, but after a short while, she began teasing me and rocking just a little faster, still sure she would not fall.

In my attempt to make her stop but without taking the fun out of the moment, I told her I could do magic, and that I would make her fall if she didn't slow down. This did not make her slow down, much less stop and she defiantly asked me to try my magic on her. So I chanted the most popular magic words I could think of, "bibbidy-bobbidy-boo!". Guess what? She didn't fall.

My feeble attempt at magic got her laughing, then she paused and made this statement in a spontaneously convincing way: "You can't do magic, mom. Only my dad can do real magic." Her eyes told me she was as serious as anyone can be so I was interested to hear what she had to say about this. I had seen Javier do his tricks by pulling a coin out of the back of her ears, disappearing it and then re-appearing it in his hands and other such tricks. Here is where perspective comes in handy, for I, at 31 years of age saw this as no more than a simple way to have fun while my daughter discovered in awe that her dad was performing amazing magic tricks.

She went on and on about how her dad could make small objects really disappear and how his magic words worked, unlike Cinderella's Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boo stunt. Her voice and eyes revealed so much more than what she was telling me that all I could do is agree with her: her dad really could do magic. Maybe he didn't really disappear that coin, but what he made her feel and believe was more magical than Houdini himself.

I remembered the time she bought a box of Power Puff Girls candies which the TV ads claimed you'd be able to fly by buying them and the disappointment she felt when she opened the box and was unable to fly. Her dad came to the rescue saying that he bought the wrong box, and it was just a matter of going back to the store and buying a new one (and then distracting her to the point she forgot!). It reminded me of this and I found comfort in knowing that unlike the TV ads, her father would never let her down. This is an unspoken truth that she just knows and I suddenly found myself admiring my daughter's ability to believe and trust with such innocence, love and devotion ...

When she discovered Cinderella, she called dad her Prince Charming; she has said that he is stronger than Spider Man (and that is a lot coming from the number one Spider Man fan); and now she is convinced that he can do magic. The years will pass and her point of view will inevitably change, and she might even realize one day that the coin was between his fingers the whole time, but the confidence he has built inside of her and the love he has inspired will remain true forever.

I know this because he cast the same spell on me.