A Magical Moment

A Magical Moment

Stories of my time at Walt Disney World

Written by Cassia Sherrill

They say writing from real life experiences are truly the best form of inspiration, and I couldn't agree more. I think you can think up and dream some really incredible things, but nothing beats the authentic moments that we experience in our everyday lives. I have encountered so many wonderful and heartwarming moments throughout my years on this earth, and I sadly have never really taken the time to write most of them down (which is dumb). Therefore, as part of this story project, I am going to write some fiction but also just some short stories of the moments I have encountered that have truly touched me. So I will start with this one:

As some of you know, I was a PhotoPass Photographer at Walt Disney World. I worked specifically in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and there were countless tender moments that I watched take place while I captured memories for families that would last a lifetime. Truly not a job that I took lightly as creating memories and capturing moments for people is one of the sweetest things one can do for another.

The day was like any other. It was hot, and I was sweaty, which was typical in the Florida heat. I was placed in the Africa/Asia section of Animal Kingdom and going through my normal routine of taking photos of families whenever they asked. It was a slower day because I stood without having anyone ask for a picture a lot longer than I usually do. Eventually, I was approached by a family who asked me if I could take their pictures, and I happily agreed. The family started to gather around the area I was taking a picture of except for their little boy. I would guess he was maybe around three or four. He was trying to touch my camera as most little kids tried because they were intrigued by it. His family quickly told him to come over and not touch the camera, and I assured them he was fine.

I knelt down to the little boy’s level and started showing him the camera. He was fascinated by it, and once I started to show him the camera, he proceeded to point out and ask what each button did. I continued to tell the little boy what each button did until we had literally covered the whole camera. Honestly, he could’ve become a pro photographer right there with the amount of camera knowledge we had just brushed through.

The family was laughing at their son’s curiosity, but they started to tell him it was time to come over so they could get their picture. However, this little guy was still eating up the camera knowledge so I asked if it was okay if he helped me with something. They agreed! I looked at him and asked if he would help me position his family for the photo. His face lit up, and he and I started positioning his family for the picture. I held my camera while he looked through the viewfinder to see how everything/everyone looked, and he took in the scene with great detail. After a few moments, he looked at me directly and said everything looked good. So I placed his finger on the shutter, and he clicked the memory into existence. He smiled at me as I told him that he should now join his family so I could get a shot of them all together. We took a few photos together and a magic shot, which I let him help me add the magic to. I had to! He was basically my camera assistant at this point. Once we were finished, his grandmother asked him, “Did you have fun?”

“Yes!” With eyes wide and lit up, he also mentioned, “I want to be a photographer now!”

My heart soared as I heard him say that, and it continued to soar as the little guy came and hugged me.

It was a precious moment where I did very little but answer a curious little boy’s questions. Regardless, it not only made him feel seen and special but it also made him dream of doing what I did. Even if that desire was a fleeting one, I will never know. All I do know is in that moment, I sparked a dream in a curious little boy. I sparked a sweet memory for the entire family to enjoy. Plus, my little heart will forever remember the moments I shared with him and his family. That’s all you can really ask for.