Dear Reader:

Roald Dahi ( Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) once wrote ” Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

I, for one, could not live in a world without magic… it became my protective armor when I was a child, when tragic events, beyond our family’s control, brought too much reality home… my great escape…I could climb into the crabapple tree, with a book, that took me far away from the sorrows of one lost parent and later a close call with losing another to bone cancer-instead mother raising me and my two brothers, single-handedly … after the loss of her left hand to the disease.

Reading was my magic… my escape and peek into others’ lives that were so different from my own. But it just wasn’t books that brought magic into my life, but family traditions that provided me with the magic I needed to escape situations that were incomprehensible to a child.

In one article I read on childhood magic it listed four positive initiatives that come from magical beliefs: Children feel empowered, creativity as adults blossoms, provides well-loved and preserved memories and traditions and develops adult playful mindset.

I grew up lying on the grass, on hot summer nights, watching and wishing on stars, especially the first star seen in the night sky. To this day I still can’t pass a wishing well or fountain without throwing a penny in-along with a wish.

Magical traditions are so important to children who carry these memories into adulthood …revisiting them with the next generation-their own children. How many of you have had married adult children return home and have a ” fit” because, maybe, you forgot to include a traditional ornament-like maybe changing the topper on the Christmas tree… and suddenly back to the attic your adult child goes to retrieve the angel with the broken wing. No changes wanted!

I found the sweetest story about a grown daughter who brought her children back home to go to the beach with grandpa because he always found the most magical seashells with the best stories around. It was a favorite recollection from her own childhood.

At 32… she was shocked when she caught her dad in the beach gift shop buying elaborate and unique seashells to hide in the sand while the grandchildren played in the surf. Now watching him, from an adult perspective, she could only thank her lucky ( magical) stars that she, and now her children, had this ” magical” man in their lives to provide precious traditions and memories forever.

So until tomorrow… ” Playful energy is the kind of thing that one wishes could be put in a bottle- to keep forever-absolutely priceless. “

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity

The family was gathered yesterday at this beautiful and historical church for Rhea’s christening. Rhea was ready for her special day… calm, cool, collected while the rest of us held our breath at this important memorable moment in her life.

And afterwards celebration time with good food and of course…. Greek dancing!