Was today a let down for Ellie?

Ellie loves the fantasy a movie creates. For a while she has very much enjoyed the Dolphin Tale movies. Now since these are based on a real dolphin I have allowed her to believe that they are based on real people, without really doing my research. As much as meeting the dolphins Winter and Hope, the two dolphins, Ellie really wanted to meet Sawyer and Hazel from the day she saw the first movie. I warned her that they may not be at the hospital, but it honestly hadn't dawned on me that they were fictional characters. Silly me of course.

Upon arrival today we finally found the Winter and Hope and watched them for a while. But they weren't able to get close, and they had to watch other children get their chance to touch the Dolphins. This was hard on them. I felt like they were disappointed, as much as I tried to encourage them having fun and appreciating the moments. 

Later we watched a story about the making of the movie where it was revealed that not all wheel and some of them are made up after a mix of people who cared for winter along the way. Ellie and I haven't had a chance to talk about this yet, but I am sure if she caught this she is disappointed. I know it was disappointing for me. 

They've been looking forward to this day for two months, and I knew it would not amount to what it did in their heads. I was nearly disappointed to see that they come, because I hate the thought of my children growing up and having to realize the world, in many ways, is not near as magical innocent and sweet as they would like to think that it is. They asked me why they didn't get to touch the dolphins today and I was honest and told them that we didn't pay the money for them to do it. Probably should've had a deeper conversation around how the money is used to help the aquarium do it's rescue work, but I didn't. Maybe that's a conversation for tomorrow.

In the end, I do wonder if today was a letdown. I hope that reality of the day was still amazing, and they saw some wonder. I believe this innocence and hope enables them to grow into a wonderful fantastic human beings God has planned for them.