Karen Lorre - Effortless Enchantment: A Memoir of Magic, Magnetism, and Miracles

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My family lived on a block where there were a ton of other kids, all within five to ten years younger or older than me. Every time we all got together to play felt like a fun celebration. We climbed trees, played tag, played hide-and-seek, went bike riding, swam, and played softball and so many other fun games!

One day, we were all riding our bikes. I was still riding a bike with training wheels and we were all on the sidewalk. To bystanders, we were just a line of bikes and tricycles, speeding past. Ahead, I saw that the root of a tree made the upcoming sidewalk rupture upwards, and as I furiously pedaled to keep up with my older friends, my bike flew over that ruptured sidewalk and I felt myself go airborne.

I do not remember coming down I do not remember anything after that, except, in some foggy way, I could later hear my parents talking to my pediatrician.

You must make sure she wakes up each hour, or she may die, the doctor said. She has a very severe concussion.

I felt myself floating above my little body, which somehow lay limp on the couch. How did I get here? I wondered, every time my parents frantically struggled to keep me awake for a few minutes each hour. I do remember that I did not like being woken up like that. I almost felt drugged. The floating part of me, however, felt a deep, tranquil calm.

The next day, I woke very late, around noon, on my parents bed. Again, I had no idea how I got there or why I slept so late.

How are you feeling honey? My mom asked. She seemed very concerned, I had no idea why. She put her hand on my forehead as if I was sick but I felt fine.

I shrugged. Fine! I want to go play with Christine. Christine was about five years older; she was a good friend. I often went to her house and we would search for tiny fairies down by the edges of the chairs or under the beds. We always found them and talked to them for hours.

My mom hugged me before I ran out the door.

I went to Christines house, and her mom opened the door.

Oh, hi, Karen, she said. How are you?

I had no idea why she was asking me that with such concern, just like my mom. Fine! I answered, Is Christine here?

Christine was not there, so I ran over to my friend Beth Anns house.

When I rang the bell, her mom also asked how I was. With total frustration, I said, Why is everyone asking me how I am?!

Beth Anns mom told me Id had an accident and had flown headfirst into a sycamore tree, whose root had caused the sidewalk to buckle. She also told me I had a concussion and explained what that meant. I did not remember any of this. Beth Anns mom told me that everyone had thought I might die.

Okay, I shrugged when I heard this news. Since I hardly remembered any of this experience, I just shrugged it off and continued playing with Beth Ann.

After that, I felt this adventurous energy blossom within me. I got an incredible desire to climb everything I climbed trees, ropes, onto peoples shoulders, and I climbed the jungle gym. I just loved climbing. Any time a neighbors cat was caught up in a tree, the neighbors summoned me this tiny blonde girl to climb up the tree to help get the cats down. All the grown up neighbors would stand around the tree to make sure I was safe, they would tell me to be careful, but I knew I could navigate those trees. I felt this wonderful monkey-like confidence in me, with every tree I climbed.