The Wand in the Woods

For one young child, the discovery of a glowing wand with which she can wave away her chores illuminates the simple pleasure of doing things on her own, mindfully.

For Elliot and her dog, Spinner, this morning’s walk in the woods starts out like most others: practicing their balance, sniffing out snacks, and searching for sticks to build forts. But today she spies something unusual on the forest floor—a stick that glows like the moon. Indeed, this stick proves to have special powers, ones th...