When picking a profession, don’t let reality interfere

My daughter wants to be a fairy when she grows up. I found this out a few weeks ago, when she was the star-of-the-week at her school and I asked her a short set of interview questions that, frankly, I wouldn’t really have thought to ask before such as: What is your favorite food? Spaghetti. And what is your favorite color? Green (good girl!).

She dressed up as a fairy for Halloween, so I should have known that she had already set her career aspirations on the magical arts. Having a background in science, and sometimes being logical, my first thought was “but fairies aren’t real.” Then I realized, that doesn’t matter, because life is all a grand illusion. Have you learned nothing from studying Buddhism?

So, I have been contemplating what it would mean to become a fairy. There are the obvious benefits. First, flying. I can definitely see the appeal. If someone is annoying you or you need to get somewhere in a hurry. Bzzzzzzzz. You’re off. And you basically have a built-in blanket. At least it seems that fairy wings are warm given how the little creatures wrap themselves up when they go to sleep on a leaf or a flower petal. And it’s a good thing too, because they are always dressed in a bathing suit with ankle boots.

But what, exactly is a fairy’s job? They seem very busy sprinkling dust that makes flowers grow and forest creatures wake up and sneeze. Productive fairies appear to be in charge of all botanic life. That is a huge job considering it’s the food and oxygen source for every living creature on the planet. Are there ocean fairies? Sprites? Without fairies, the grass and trees wouldn’t grow, seasons wouldn’t change, and there wouldn’t be someone buzzing around your head giving you thoughtful advice in a tiny, high voice. So fairies are, essentially, environmentalists.

So, I can see how she came to this conclusion of wanting to be a fairy. She does want to be just like her moms. My spouse is a botanist. And I am always busy trying to control everything on earth and buzzing around peoples’ heads. I don’t often wear a bathing suit, but I have been seen in ankle boots on occasion. So now all we need to get is a good set of wings.

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