[Shaahayda Rizvi]

Marianne,

What a beautiful essay that is so illuminating and walks one to the origin and background of the Nutcracker suite. You are thoroughly blessed with a rich childhood, with dance, music, plays, operas, concerts and books. And your experiences, writings, and readings come through in this poetic essay.

The breaking of a child’s toy, and the sorrow that came along with it, brought back sad memories. I can relate to that, in more than one way. Could taking away a child’s blanket and throwing that into a rubbish bin, be as deeply wounding as breaking a toy? Can a young child tell the difference between intentional act and unintentional act of breaking or discarding toys?  Would love to hear your comment.