Nana, Naila, And a World of Imaginations

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“And then Lilly got tired of pinching the moon to light a path for her.” Nana closed her book of adventures. “Time for bed,” she whispered.

“What did Lilly do next? Did she pinch all of the moons? I want to know Nana.” I yelled in protest.

“You will know soon enough. But you know what Naila? In my next life, I want to be a white fluffy bunny. I want to know what it feels like to be so lush.” Nana prevented her glasses from falling off while she tucked me into bed.

“And I want to be a magic wand.” I teased her and we both laughed.

“What you really need, Nana is new glasses. There are cracks all over this one.” I poked Nana's glasses with my thumb and she lightly pushed my hand away.

“You are getting Nasty now, aren't you? These glasses have been with me all the lives I've lived. I'm not going to give it away during this human experience. If we ever meet again in this life or the next, you'll know.” As Nana spoke, for the first time, I noticed the cracks in her voice, the furrows behind her eyes, and the deep creases when she smiled. I didn’t understand half the things she said but at that moment, I realized that Nana had lived a long and satisfying life.

She switched on the night moon lamp. It was crisp white and inside of it looked like a cluster of glowing pebbles. “Always keep the night lamp on. It would brighten the path when I'm gone.”

She had raised my father before me. The woman had great wisdom beyond what any mind could ever imagine. I marveled at her exceptional unearthly stories. It was like she had lived many worlds and lives. When I teased her about that, she would say, “Perhaps I’m a shifter. Maybe one day, you will shift and then you will write stories of your own adventures.” She’d tickle and I’d laugh until tears formed in my eyes. She was the sweetest soul and just being with her was like being enveloped in a fantasy. I was only about ten years old but she made my mind travel deep. I found myself thinking about existence, possibilities, and creations.

Before Nana passed, she made us promise to scatter her ashes through her bedroom window. “That’s where I belong,” she’d always say.

The years passed and it took me almost forever to outgrow Nana’s stories and the imaginary idea of existence she had put in my head. I learned painfully that life wasn’t just a make-believe and there was no magic wand to cast a spell for everlasting happy ending. I was having a hard time adjusting to reality.

I started to journal. I would write about my feelings and troubles. I would then burn the papers and scatter the ashes through the window the same way we did Grandma’s after she died. It became a ritual that made me feel a little better and closer to Nana. I even moved into her bedroom.

One night, I had drifted away on Nana's bed when a bang on the window roused me. It was a windy night and the clouds had gathered. I got out of bed and shut the windows. I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn't so I shut my eyes. Then it felt as though a figure was moving in front of my face. I panicked a bit and stayed like that. After a moment, I opened my eyes slightly. Just enough to look in front of me. What I saw startled me even more.

I saw a miniature creature. She had short brown hair and tanned skin. Her eyes were round and she had wings. Somehow, she was pinching portions of the glowing pebbles in my night lamp and stuffing them a little pouch around her waist. I couldn't believe my eyes. Lilly! Is that you?” I yelled.

My voice startled her. Her wings began to flutter and then she went right through the window. I jumped out of bed and ran after her. When I peeked through the window, I saw Lilly dropping the pebbles along the way until she disappeared into thin air. I marveled.

Quickly, I let myself through the window. I followed the path of the glowing pebbles until suddenly, I felt the earth slip off my feet. I started to fall into a deep hole. I must have fallen for minutes. I thought life was leaving me and my entire life flashed through my mind. Soon, I landed with my butt on clear white sand. It was daylight and the clouds were grey and yellow.

“Get out of the way young lady.” I looked up to see an old man high up on a bicycle. Its wheels were the height of a tree. I watched as he stretched his hand to the tallest apple tree I had ever seen in my life. He picked an apple and began munching. Quickly, I got out of the way crashing into a herd of elephants. One of them picked me up with its trunk. The herd began tossing me around from trunk to trunk like a ball. I begged to be put down. “Watch where you are going.” the youngest screeched.

“Talking elephants? What more shocking revelations could this day bring?” I muttered. I wandered away from the herd. I became cautious as I tried to observe my surroundings. It was shockingly outrageous. I knew for certain that I wasn't in the world I knew. I felt like I was walking in one of Nana's stories. There were talking creatures of all kinds, trees, and flowers towering towards the sky. There were more exotic and colorful flowers that I had lost count of. It all felt so superb and surreal. My insides churned knowing my childhood experience wasn't just a product of Nana's imagination.

Soon, I wandered into a garden full of carrots. I was about to pick a carrot when I heard a little sweet, calm but cracked voice. “ I see you've made it here.”

I turned to see a white fluffy rabbit about my height. It had on glasses that were worn.

“Nana! Is that you?” I was washed with emotions.

“What did you think Naila? I told you I wanted to be a bunny, didn't I? I'm a shifter and I have lived many lives in different worlds. Since you found your way here, you certainly have the traits. I didn't doubt it.” Nana adjusted the frames of her glasses. “It's time for you to live again. Just close your eyes and think of what you want to be. And oh, I got your letters.”

I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I had transformed into a wand with hands and feet. Nana let out a hearty laugh. I poked her glasses with my thumb.

“What?” I said. “ I want to make wishes come true.”