A woman found a 4-yr-old's fairy house—then spent 9 months making incredible magic for her

At a time when we could all use an uplift, a story of unexpected friendship and honest-to-goodness magic is warming people's hearts. And it's one of those stories that just gets better and better.
A woman named Kelly Victoria shared the story on Twitter. "At the beginning of the pandemic I went through some painful personal stuff," she wrote, "and would often go out at night for long walks because no one was around and I couldn't sleep anyway. One night I was walking down my street and noticed that someone had set up a few little objects in a tree planter, and upon closer inspection, I realized it was a fairy garden with a little note about the 4-year-old girl who felt lonely in quarantine and wanted to spread some cheer."
down my street and noticed that someone had set up a few little objects in a tree planter and upon closer inspectio… https://t.co/7P9UvzWB2E— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743335.0
The fairy garden was set up by a tree, and a note on the tree read:
"Our 4 year old made this to brighten your day
Please add to the magic, but don't take away
These days can be hard, but we're in this together
So enjoy our fairy garden and some nicer weather."
The next day, Kelly wrote a note to the little girl, pretending to be a fairy named Sapphire that "had come to live in the tree because she had set it up so nicely." She left the note on the tree during her walk that night.
the start of the pandemic) if she did 3 things for me: https://t.co/1Ae9DjazAW— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743408.0
In her note, Sapphire said she would leave some lucky dice for the girl if she did these things:
- Say 5 nice things to people you love
- Do 3 helpful things for someone in need
- Promise to always be kind and brave, and to show love to those in need.
- Draw a picture of your favorite animal so I can show the other fairies!
Kelly wasn't sure if she'd even see it, but the next night, she found a note from the girl, Eliana, telling her how she had completed the requests. She included two drawings of "piggies," her favorite animal. Kelly says she "immediately burst into tears."
So I left a bunch of my die that had small imperfections and left her another note and also a little extra note for… https://t.co/V2b5u4e5kq— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743505.0
She did leave a bunch of resin die that she had made with a note for Eliana (and one for her parents with her real name and phone number, so they'd know she wasn't some kind of creeper).
And the next night, there was another note from Eliana, thanking Sapphire for the die and for the gnome magnets she had left. She explained what she was doing with the die, and then wrote, "Please stay safe from the sickness. I love you."
She also got a note from Eliana's parents, thanking her for being "a much needed bright spot in our quarantine season" and explaining that they'd been playing a modified version of D & D (Dungeons & Dragons) with Elaina, so the die were a perfect gift.
Doing this every night gave me purpose in a horribly painful and lonely time. I looked forward to my days again and… https://t.co/eWTpkWvVGG— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743555.0
And so began a nine-month long magical friendship. "Doing this every night gave me purpose in a horribly painful and lonely time," wrote Kelly. "I looked forward to my days again and I started ordering art supplies and little trinkets to leave her."
Kelly texted with Elaina's mom to get personalized ideas for gifts. She even sent a photo of herself dressed as an elf, photoshopped to look like she was tiny.
Elaina responded by asking totally 4-year-old questions, like "What do you and you friends feel like? I mean like your skin feeling?" and sharing some totally 4-year-old artwork. Adorable.
In the past month her mom sent me a text letting me know that they had closed escrow on a new house a little furthe… https://t.co/ighkIvyCgD— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743566.0
Then came some news. Eliana's family was moving to a new house and would have to leave the fairy garden behind. Elaina was having a tough time with the idea of moving, so Sapphire wrote her a long note. "Getting to know you has made me less afraid of humans," she said. She told Eliana that she would be having to leave the tree soon so they could go through the moving transition together.
Eliana's mom said it helped her so much and they wanted to try to get together in person before they moved.
to include some support in my letters and told her I had to move as well so she’d feel like we were both going thro… https://t.co/K9SIcjteWC— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743634.0
That's tricky in a pandemic, of course. And also tricky when you're supposed to be a teeny-tiny fairy, not a full-grown person. So Sapphire told Eliana that when fairies move houses, they grow to the size of humans for just one day to move all of their belongings. Brilliant.
She said she had one more gift, and that she hoped Eliana wouldn't catch her leaving it. But, of course, she did.
more gift for her and would leave it this afternoon and hoped 😉 she wouldn’t catch me. As they came back from their… https://t.co/snDSGq67eK— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607743662.0
They got to sit and talk for about an hour, and Eliana asked "a million questions about what life is like as a fairy."
"It was incredible and one of the most important and impactful afternoons of my life thus far," wrote Kelly. "I hope one day when she's older she can understand that I truly needed her as much as she needed me these past few months."
most important and impactful afternoons of my life thus far. I hope one day when she’s older she can understand tha… https://t.co/MVN4Tj7apT— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607744113.0
Eliana wrote Sapphire a story in the form of a tiny book, and the two plan to keep in touch from time to time.
"She's changed me forever," Kelly wrote, "and the things her mom has said about how her self-confidence, her kindness towards others and her creativity have skyrocketed since meeting me make me feel like I made an impact too."
I hope that’s....a good thing 🤣 https://t.co/YnP5bxAsAQ— kelly victoria 🪐👻 (@kelly victoria 🪐👻) 1607761067.0
Childhood is naturally magical in many ways, but to have a person help spur on a child's imagination and creativity, especially at a time when we all need a break from reality, is truly heartwarming to see. This is magic as it should be. What a beautiful gift these two have given each other—and to the rest of us as well.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.