Nana's Window

My Nana lives with us. She is 78 years old, her hair is short and gray. Some days we go outside. Nana has a lot of trouble walking so we stay close to the house. Most of the time she sits in an old shabby recliner by the north window. She seem lost in her thoughts.

I asked "mommy why does Nana just sit by the window like that"?

Mommy says "that is something you need to ask Nana."

So I ask, "Nana, why do you sit by the window?"

Nana gazes at me over her horn rim glasses then says "sit here Mira and let me show you".

I climb into her blanket covered lap. She points out the window and asks "what do you see?"

I reply "I see trees, grass and flowers."

Nodding Nana says "Yes, those things are there. What else do you see? Try sitting very still and watching."

So I sit still and watch out the window until finally I start to squirm and say "there isn't anything else too see"

Laughing Nana comments "Mira, you will have to open your mind and your heart to the magic before you will see and understand why I sit here."

Just then my friend Kim arrives and I go outside to play. While we are playing pirates, I tell Kim about the talk I had with Nana.

I tell her "Nana says I have to be open to the magic before I will see what she sees."

Kim asks "Do you believe in magic"?

This makes me stop for a moment then I reply "if Nana says there is magic, then there is magic. I just don't know how to 'open my mind and heart' to find it."

After playing for a bit longer Kim says "I have an idea".

Kim runs over to the shed and grabs two boxes and puts them under Nana's window. We sit down on the boxes.

Looking around Kim says "you told Nana you saw flowers, trees and grass, right"?

I reply "that's right".

Grinning Kim says "yes, but I also see a small gray cat chasing a squirrel". She points across the yard. I see them too.

Suddenly, a ruby-throated humming bird flies right in front of us on its way to the feeder on the porch.

Kim whispers "Mira look"!

I look, I don't see anything so I demand, "what, where"?

Grabbing my head Kim turns it so I'm looking just above the grass line on the tree. Something moved.

As I keep staring I ask "what is that"?

Kim squeaks "I have no idea".

As we continue to watch intently for what seem like forever when a huge toad jumps out of the grass. We both fall off the boxes. Then laughing from our new seat on the ground we watch as the toad heads for the fountain.

With a smile I turn to Kim and say "lets go ask Nana if that was what she was talking about".

Turning towards the weathered window with its new screen; Kim studies it before she replies "I really think there is more to it, cats, squirrels and toads don't seem magical to me".

Once we are inside, Nana smiles and says "I see you girls joined me by the window. Did you see anything magical"?

We tell her about the cat chasing the squirrel, the humming bird dive bombing us and the toad scaring us.

Then Nana said "let's try an experiment. Kim close your eyes. Mira tell Kim what you see out the window."

So I tell Kim "there are trees, grass and several flowers".

Nana says "okay reverse the process. Mira close your eyes. Kim tell her what you see out the window."

Kim tells me "I see trees, grass and purple and blue flowers".

With a smile Nana says "that's good. Now both of you close your eyes and I will tell you what I see." After we close our eyes she begins "I see three trees, one medium sided oak tree and two smaller pine trees. There are purple calla lilies near the oak tree and blue asters along the fence. The fence is wooden and shows signs that it's time for some new paint. The grass is green; mostly short except around the tree trunks. Open your eyes now. Do you see anything new"?

At first all we see are the things Nana described. All at once we start noticing blue jays, cardinals, chickadees searching the ground for warms, monarch butterflies floating across the grass, tree frogs climbing the oak tree and a spider spinning a web between the pine trees. Both of us start chattering to Nana. She gives us a hug and we sit watching for a bit.

Nana picks up a small book and tells us "listen to the story as you continue to look out the window."

Taking a deep breath Nana begins " The air is still as the afternoon shadows begin to dance across the lawn. Birds sing softly while the frogs join in the chorus. The butterflies sail from flower to flower. Rabbits raid the carrot patch, while chipmunks hurry to get the nuts before the squirrels hide them. All while the fairies prepare to start their day. When humans rest the fairies work their magic. Some repair broken foliage, while others set new blooms to open..."

As Nana reads Kim and I begin to see fairies of all shapes and sizes gathering the things they need like sap, water, and silk. We watch as they flit about, we hold our breath as it looks like one is about to greet us in the window.

At that precise moment my mom says "Kim your mom is here to pick you up, Mira get washed for supper".

We blink and look out the window to see that the spell is broken. The only things we see are the ones we were looking at before Nana opened our eyes. We know now why Nana sits by the window. It truly is magical.