A Fond Memory

Hey, you.

Would you consider yourself a nostalgic person?

Nostalgia is what the dictionary would call "a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past."

I get that feeling a lot. It's not that I don't ever look forward, or that I am actually stuck in the past, but I just like to reminisce about the good times, you see.

I am going to share with you one of my favorite memories (Shelby, this one's for you).

This lovely green elephant to me, represents a magical, simpler time of life. It is the representation of a bucket full of good memories. Props to you if you actually know where it's from without me telling you!

For those of you who are not Disneyland aficionados, let me enlighten you.

This here, is the green elephant that once stood in the Gibson Girl ice cream shop on Main Street in Disneyland California. I love it because as a child and teenager, when my best friend Shelby and I were finishing a day at Disneyland (we went to Disneyland together a lot...) we would always stop at the ice cream parlor and sit at the bar next to this green elephant and eat our ice cream cones.

It reminds me of the end of a long day at Disney - our legs tired, our bellies sore from laughter, and our hearts filled to the brim with happiness. The lights would twinkle, and the gentle sound of music would play in the background as we would enjoy our treats and gaze up at this statue.

It's a simple thing, really, but it's burned into my memory with such fervor that I shall never forget it.

They took it out a couple of years ago when they remodeled the ice cream shop to make way for a bigger queue, but while wandering around Disneyland a couple months ago I saw that it had found a new home in Adventureland. Next time you're at Disney see if you can spot it!

(circa 2011)