Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved fairytales and happily ever afters. Her mother took her to a magical land with its very own castle. There, she met princesses, pirates, hitchhiking ghosts, and a big talking mouse. She road flying elephants and runaway trains. And at the end of her day she watched the night sky light up with all the colors of the rainbow. This little girl carried that place in her heart through all of her life. Whenever she felt sad she’d think of her adventures there, where time stopped and nobody ever grew up. Where innocence still lives, and laughter fills the air. No matter how many years passed that girl never forgot the feeling of being in that enchanted place. The wonder and joy never faded, it’s still safe in her heart. One day she met her very own prince and had children of her own. She just knew she had to share the magic with them. So off they went, towards the second star to the right and straight on till morning, and had many many new adventures. They flew on magic carpets and traveled through the jungle. They met space rangers and cowboys, aliens, fairies and a big angry duck. Now, her little boys have sparked their imagination, they grew to believe in wishing upon a star, and they learned how to keep moving forward. It was wonderful to share that love of her fairytale land with them. But this brought on a terrible thought, a realization of the inevitable. With all the times they got to return there, she would always have to leave. Her heart ached as her journeys ended, even though she knew she’d go back again some day. She thought of her children and herself as a child. She wished and hoped and planned, that one day she would be able to finally call her most favorite place, her forever home. To live out the rest of her days alongside mermaids and wizards, dragons and queens. And one day, with a little faith trust and pixie dust, her wish was  granted. A new chapter in her story, her family’s story was about to be told, though it was a little bit frightening she reminded herself to always trust the magic of new beginnings, and to truly believe in the magic that lives inside of you. To never give up, and never be afraid to leave your tower. The little girl that stared at a castle in awe and amazement. This girl who believes this place, is not just a place, but a feeling and emotion, unlike anywhere else. Her, the now grown woman, who remembers how the sight of that castle made her dreams take flight. This place had brought her so much joy, it inspired her to dare to be more. A place that gave her hope that somehow someway those fairytales she loved so much really could exist. A world of her own where anyone can become anything and there’s always room for one more. Where nothing is impossible, each moment is incredible, you can fly, you can race, you can spin you can paint, with all the colors of the wind. Where her children find pure happiness, for the rest of their days. That’s where she has always belonged. That’s where you will find her one day soon, for forever and always, because dreams really do come true.

Danielle Cohen