Greetings

Noticing the developmental differences among my peers was always fascinating. Some were already shaving, while others were still using baby shampoo. I remember one instance in particular that stands out as crickeyminimally cringeworthy, but there was a time when I engaged in an activity that was truly on a whole other level of cringe.

At around age eleven, I created an imaginary country called Elunia, complete with a fanciful made-up language, “Lunailo.” I had even crafted an elaborate backstory in which I was the reincarnation of a past queen, Liria, who had fled to a dimension beyond the physical realm after defeating invaders. On my twelfth birthday, I anticipated assuming the throne and gaining superpowers, a fantasy that had me so convinced I even wrote stories about it in school.

Creating Elunia

It all started on a Saturday when my little brother, Eddie, crowned himself king of a place he named Eddieland. His concept was—cough—quite basic. But I, as a budding eleven-year-old, wanted to be more creative. I named my imaginary world Elunia and designed a language, Lunailo, that devolved into fancy versions of the English alphabet.

The Secret Backstory

As a child who read way too many fantasy novels, I decided that magic had to be a part of this story. Elunia, being a technologically advanced and magic-infused nation, needed a legitimate backstory. I constructed a tale of a benevolent queen, Liria, who managed to escape the physical realm to avoid being conquered by humans. The next logical step was convincing myself that my imaginary world was real.

The Naive Reality Check

My naivety knew no bounds. I believed that I, as Liria's reincarnation, would receive superpowers on my twelfth birthday and assume my rightful place as Elunia's ruler. The weeks leading up to my birthday were filled with elaborate dreams, written stories, and even plans for publishing a book. I imagined myself cackling under the table, delighting in the secrecy of my imaginary world.

On my twelfth birthday, I sat in my room, waiting for the message from Elunia that would change my life. The disappointment was palpable when the dreams and excitement faded with time. I still have no idea how I managed to create such a complex society in my mind and convince myself it was reality.

But in the end, it was just a daydream, an imaginative escape from the everyday. Even though it was never real, the fantasy provided a fun and creative outlet for a rainy day.

And as always, one can never be too sure...