Dear Aunt Gabby,
I am 9 years old. A friend of mine made fun of me for having stuffed animal unicorns in my bedroom. She said I was a baby for thinking that unicorns are real animals. I asked my mom, and she said, she didn’t believe in unicorns, but that I could if I wanted.
My mom said you “tell it like it is,” and I should ask you. Are unicorns real?
I am Sarah, the unicorn lover
Dear Sarah,
A long time ago, people said that a unicorn was a donkey, a horse or a goat with a horn sticking out of its forehead. Pictures of unicorns are even older than The Bible. Remember that you can draw things that are real and things that don’t, like a lake filled with water or a lake filled with pickles.
Now, a unicorn looks like a really cute horse, sometimes blue or pink or purple, with long wavy hair (mane) and big eyes with long eyelashes, like a cartoon girl with stars on her legs. I don’t think any real animal is that cute, unless it is a hedgehog or panda.
History tells us that unicorns are mythological animals. That means that they are made-up to tell a story. The story is that their horns are magic and can turn poison into drinkable water and do other fun things. Wouldn’t that be great?
Albert Einstein was famous for being smart. He said, “Imagination is better than knowledge.” A unicorn or a plaid rabbit or a talking fish can tell you a lot if you know how to listen. Listen to your unicorn. Does it say, “Everything will be okay,” or “I love you,” or “You look cute when you are sick”? All true.
So, to answer your question. Is there a real live animal that is a horse with a horn? I don’t know, but I imagine there is. And that’s more important.
Your Smart Aunt Gabby
Dear Aunt Gabby,
Settle something for us. We work in an office with forty people in a large room. Someone is always coughing or sneezing. We don’t want people to miss work, but we also hate to have sick people coming to work, spreading illness (and making so much noise we can’t talk on the phone). Should sick people stay home? Should sick people go to work? What can we do?
Sick of Sick People
Dear Sick,
This complicated question is for your Human Resources Officer. The company must have policies in place for using sick days, getting paid for sick days, length of sick leave, and when and how to call in sick.
Also, complaints for events or situations that make the workplace unsafe go to the HR Officer or Safety Officer.
As for what you can do, the answer is a lot. You can remember that co-worker may have run out of sick days or can’t afford to miss work, so be compassionate instead of judgmental. They may have allergies, not illness. You can donate your sick days to her. Buy her some medicated tissues. You can wash your hands a lot and take extra vitamin C all during flu season. Get a flu shot. Offer to help do some of your co-worker’s work so he won’t get to far behind. You might even speak to your supervisor about asking the sick person to go home.
The main thing to remember is that one day you will be in her position at work. What will you do?
Your Healthy Aunt Gabby
