Growing up

We spent a couple of nights at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg with some friends and had a super time. This was our third annual New Year's trip.
I was delighted to come across a lucky kid in the arcade who had hit the jackpot and won himself 1,000 tickets. Even vicariously, it was a great way to start 2009.

We enjoy the Lodge not only for the waterpark but for the Magic Quest game. This is a kind of elaborate scavenger hunt, or "Quest", for kids focusing on the finding of various objects in the hotel that lead to the acquisition of "Runes." Once you have obtained a certain number of Runes you become a Magi and have exciting adventures, like fighting the Dragon. Our first time at the Lodge Paul was just six and he and his chums ran around pointing their wands at every Magic Quest object they found, regardless of whether it was needed for the particular Quest.

Oh, the joy of pointing your wand and making chest of jewels open, or a painting talk! From a kid's view it was heaven....such power! From an adult's view (mine, at least) it was pointless and silly. Last year we stayed in a special room Magic Quest room where there were lots of things that just the occupants could point their wands at to activate. The kids loved it. The adults went crazy. As we prepared for this year's trip to the Lodge, I wondered if now -- finally! -- the kids would be old enough to follow the Quest and find the objects in order and play the game the way they were supposed to and become Magis.

Well, this was the year. This year all was business. Get your Quest; find the objects; get the Runes; move on to the next Quest. Finally, become a Magi and have big adventures. In our case, that meant fighting the Dragon. But rather than being happy that Paul had grown up so much and those wild early days were over , I found myself sad that we were saying goodbye to days of pure joy in the Magic Quest wand. In its place had arrived the new day of task-oriented, often tedious toil that accompanies any striving towards a goal. Yes, I was proud that Paul could "stay on task" and I dutifully accompanied him and his buds around the hotel as they searched for the next object on a Quest. I helped them as much as I could and cheered them on as they fought the Dragon, and encouraged them to try again when they were first defeated. But in my heart I was sad that the exuberant happy little guys had grown up. In their place were now goal-oriented driven little fellows intent on completing the Quests and facing their Adventures.

During our journeys we ran into one or two older kids who were clearly experts and knew the best ways to proceed. I admired them and hoped that Paul would achieve a similar competency in the tasks he set out for himself. But we also saw lots of tiny little kids who just smiled happily when their wands worked. As I watched them, I mourned the loss of my cute little care-free guy.