Twitter was taken by storm after photographer and designer Kelly Victoria posted a story about something that happened to her this year. The story, which is centered around a fairy garden in her neighborhood, helped followers both old and new believe in magic, reinforcing the idea that you never know when you'll meet your next friend.
"I think everyone could use a lighthearted/happy story right now so here goes," she wrote. "At the beginning of the pandemic I went through some painful personal stuff 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."
The girl created that garden just to help brighten someone's day. And it worked.
Kelly wanted to participate and help out, but she was a little hesitant at first. "The next day I wrote a little note to her, pretending to be a fairy named Sapphire that had come to live in the tree because she had set it up so nicely," Kelly explained. Sapphire's notes came with a list of kind instructions. If the little girl managed to complete them all, she'd be gifted magical dice.
The dice happened to be a project that Kelly (or should I say, Sapphire) was working on earlier in the year. They're RPG dice for roleplaying, and they are generally pretty intriguing even without the glitter and resin. That said, she didn't necessarily expect a response.
But she got one. During the next night out, she received a response back, which read "Dear Sapphire, Thank you for leaving the note in my fairy garden." The girl said that she had completed all the tasks that were asked of her and that she was excited to receive the dice as a reward. "I am so happy you live in this tree," the girl wrote. As expected, it was an emotional read for Kelly, who had just gained an unexpected friend and pen pal.
Of course, Sapphire had to make good on her promise. Kelly gave the little girl dice in a clever and appealing fairy package. And of course, she wrote her back. "These very special dice were handmade by fairies," Sapphire's letter said. "The wizard cast a spell on them to protect whoever carries them at all cost. As long as you always follow your heart and are kind to nature, the dice will give you good luck forever!"
Of course, Kelly made sure to also leave a small note for the girl's parents. In the note, she left her name and phone number if they needed to contact her. It was a smart move, especially when it became obvious that the correspondence would continue. The girl's parents were quite fond of the notes as well, so they likely appreciated the information.
The very next day, Kelly got two notes — one from the girl, identified as Eliana, and one from Eliana's parents, who addressed Kelly by the name of Sapphire. "Those dice are such a sweet gift and not at all lost on us," the parents wrote. They mentioned that during the beginning of the lockdown, they had begun playing a child-friendly version of Dungeons and Dragons with Eliana, so it was even more of a special present.
Suddenly, Kelly felt like she had something to look forward to every day. "Doing this every night gave me purpose in a horribly painful and lonely time. I looked forward to my days again and I started ordering art supplies and little trinkets to leave her," she tweeted. It lifted her spirits in a way she didn't think possible.
The correspondence lasted throughout nine months. It's amazing to even think about how Eliana's days were improved so much by Kelly's small gifts and trinkets. It's enough to make anyone believe in magic. Kelly left gifts like plushes, succulents, and, of course, loads of fairy dust.
Eventually, Eliana was curious about what Sapphire looked like. Always quick on her feet (and a photographer, to boot), Kelly managed to take a very convincing photo that made her look quite small. "Thank you for the stickers and pictures," she responded back. "You are the most beautiful."
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Kelly was alerted by Eliana's family that they were going to move. While the new house was still local, it meant that they'd have to leave the fairy garden behind. "It's been a joy getting to know you through these fairy garden exchanges," Eliana's parents wrote. Eliana was reportedly very upset about it, and rightfully so. So Sapphire helped her feel less worried.
"I left one last note this morning saying I had to move out today and made up a little story that when fairies move houses, they grow to the size of a human just for one day to move all of their belongings," Kelly tweeted. That allowed her to actually meet Eliana in person without her asking any questions. And the meetup was as adorable as you'd imagine.
They met and got to safely hug, taking all of the precautions necessary. They also exchanged more gifts, so that they'd never forget each other. Eliana even wrote a book about Sapphire, which was one of the most charming presents of all.
"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," Kelly wrote. "We plan to keep in touch/write letters to each other from time to time. She's changed me forever 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." In short, it's a story of a beautiful and life-changing friendship that came at the right time for both of them.
While Kelly didn't expect her story to go viral, she's happy it did — because it spread happiness to so many people who really needed it. It's always nice to have a reminder that there are good people in this world. "This was my special little secret that only 2 or 3 people knew about for the last 9 months," said Kelly. "I wasn't trying to get any attention for any of it but I’m so glad it's bringing people so much joy." Next time you happen to see a fairy garden, think about leaving a note. You'll never know what might happen next.
