Once Upon a Time

   I have always been fascinated by the origins of enduring terms and phrases. Once upon a time is one of them. Those four words have an extraordinary power to evoke emotion. Why? In trying to research the origin of the term itself I found very little. So I’ll tell you what it means to me. 

   The simple word ‘once’ immediately removes us from the present. It means ‘not now’ or ‘in some other time far away’. The next three, upon a time, give a hint that time and space are about to be altered.  The words are magic. Disbelief is suspended and the expectation of what comes next is electric. How many times have you seen your own child settle down and pay attention when you read aloud those first words? And how many times has that phrase carried you back to your own childhood?   

   Whenever I write something that I hope a child will love, those four words are the catalyst for whatever my imagination is about to conjure up. I may not even use the phrase but it lies there beneath the surface and makes me cautious. I want to be worthy. I want to tell the story straight and true. 

   Am I giving too much weight to four little words? I don’t think so. There are hundreds of memorable first lines for children’s books and I’ve seen many long lists of them. But none can compare to the humble promise and universal appeal of ..Once upon a time.