Believe it or not, a pond with water lilies is not really just a pond, but a kind of time machine.

It will transport you to a world where you were smaller and everything around you seemed huge and magical.

In the blink of an eye, you are sitting on the warm ground by the water, just like you did during childhood. Water lilies sway on the surface. From your grandma's stories, you know that mermaids wove wreaths from these marvelous flowers. In the evenings, they came ashore (Grandma told you that Ukrainian mermaids have legs, and you never questioned that), gathered flowers in the hems of their gauzy dresses, and then wove them into lace.

The pond whispers. This splashing reminds you of a fairy tale about a boy named Ivasyk. If you close your eyes for a moment, it may seem that he is right there — quietly touching the water’s surface with his silver oar, crossing to the other side.

Ducks are bustling about in the nearby reeds. What if one of them is an enchanted girl? Maybe this is the place where she will fly off in search of a better life. Then she will break her leg, and be found by an elderly couple. The girl will bring warmth and comfort into their lives, finally turning back into herself.

Stories come alive and resonate within you, bringing back memories. It becomes hard to tell where a fairy tale ends and real life begins.