MEMORABLE MONDAY, featured guest Cathy Cole!

Good morning!  And Happy Monday, and also to our readers in the USA, a happy and safe Memorial Day.  
As it is Monday here on the "Tidbits" blog, that means it's MEMORABLE MONDAY!
This week, we are featuring a very old, (and I don't mean in age...because we are still young!), friend who I have literally known almost my entire life.  We went all through school together from Kindergarten on.  So, ladies and gents, please enjoy the story and picture supplied by our member Cathy Cole!  

Cathy states:

"My first trip to Disney World was in 1976 as a high school graduation gift from my parents. Being an 18 year old, you'd think that I was too old to feel the magic of Disney. However that could not be further from the truth. From the Ferry boat, which piped Disney music, to my last view of Main Street, I was entranced.

My eyes were as huge as Puss N' Boots in Shrek. Not knowing where to look first, I tried to absorb it all. A barber shop quartet sang, while brightly colored buildings loomed over me, beautiful shrubs trimmed into shapes as I had never before seen, and Disney songs surrounded me. And ahead in the distance, was the most magical place of all (play musical trumpet fanfares here)  CINDERELLA CASTLE!! 

That was it. My main goal was to get to that Castle first. My parents saw my face when I looked at it, and that's where we went. OH, it was glorious!  And then...THEN..they made reservations for us to eat there! I couldn't wait.  It was the first time in my life
that I felt like a princess.

The first ride we went on was Small World, and since then, that's always where I head first in Magic Kingdom.   As our boat drifted along, and my new favorite song played, I saw and heard Walt's Disney's message to me, and took it to heart. The world is full of laughter, tears, hope and fears, and it's time we're aware that there are people throughout the world who feel laugh and sing with me on this ride called life. We're one. Disney wanted us to be one, at least while we were in his place.

Every experience there was new, and filled my senses. I had been to so many parts of our great country, including the Grand Canyon and Pikes Peak, Yellowstone, you name it. I saw the mountains, the ocean, lakes, and deserts.  Yet nothing was as awe-filling as this was. 

Tinkerbell who I had seen fly on my television screen every Sunday night, was there! Fireworks as I had never before seen, were there!  Cinderella was there!  Dumbo was there!  Oh my goodness, I can't even begin to explain my emotions, or the excitement of every thing I saw, smelled, tasted, felt and did.

I guess waiting 18 years made it all the more intense. I finally, since I saw that pair of mouse ears on Annette, got my own mouse ears!
Sigh.

I'll never forget my first visit to Disney World, and wish everyone's experience there to be as magical as mine was."

Cathy, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story!  I know how much this picture means to you, and how much you cherish it. 

If you would like to have a memorable photo/photos featured in this segment in the future, please send them to Disneynut1958@gmail.com.  Also include a story about the pictures.  Come back next Monday, when yours truly will be featured!!  See you then!