The Real Magic.

My heart broke into pieces this week when my 7 year old daughter Myla cried "I wish magic was real!".  It has been a tough year for her. I believe she's a little too young to find out that Santa isn't real, nor the easter bunny, and then this - "Mum why are you writing on the same paper that the tooth fairy writes her letters on?" $#%T!

I hold her tight and respond by explaining that there is real magic.  It is just different from the magic she knew. "No it's not, it's all made up, it is a set up!". I felt like crying too.  If you asked me a year ago, I would have probably agreed. It is going to take some time to prepare her for the type of magic that does exist...For now, I want to share with you a story from the past month in my life where I trusted in the magic to get me through.

On 1st May 2017, I arrived back in freezing Melbourne at 6am after my first ever trip overseas for my business as a photographer.  I wanted to maximise my Monday and get straight into work, for anyone that has met me you know this is how I roll.

I was in meetings most of that day and after catching up a week's work, I finished early to pick Myla up from school. Also, I needed to stock up on food to join some week old veggies and off milk in the fridge.

En route, my car stopped, literally. I couldn't get out of 1st gear.  It crawled straight to the mechanic. He had no idea why but advised I'd be without a car for a few days.  Unloading Myla and all my equipment into an Uber, I arrived home and fell in a heap.

Thank god for Uber (also suppliers of our chinese takeaway that night).  "You can have a lunch order tomorrow Myla YAY!"  Oh that's right.  School doesn't do lunch orders tomorrow. "How about an old apple, cheery tomatoes and prawn crackers leftover from dinner sound?" Mum fail # 987.

I kept my cool as the public transport to meetings took four times as long. The inbox filled up and the pressure I put on myself to deliver everything perfectly and on time built. By Wednesday the mechanic still wasn't sure what was happening with my car.  I had two shoots that day, and luckily my lovely assistant drove me around.  Upon finishing the second shoot, however,  I'm on the other side of town with 1 hour to pick up a loan car, pack down the shoot and get back to my daughter's school before after care closed.

I had to leave the shoot early.  It killed me.  Letting people down and being late are my top two nightmares. At the train station, I had no idea what platform I was suppose to be on.  The guard made me aware it was the very distant 4th one over (of course!). I had to go through a gate at this point and my myki wouldn't tap on. "YOU HAVE ALREADY TAPPED ON".  The moment of breakdown.  I just stopped and cried.  I asked myself and the universe "What have I done wrong?".  "What am I suppose to learn from this and why have you stretched me to breaking point?"

The poor security guard comes over and asks if I'm ok.  Shuddering with tears "my ccaarrdd woontt tapp on".  Oh dear - first world problems, he must have thought. You may be asking why I didn't get an Uber at this point?  Trains are a lot faster than sitting in traffic at this time of day.

Anyway, so this story doesn't drag out too much longer.  I picked up the loan car and then Myla just in time to order Uber Eats AGAIN and with the sleepy girl companion, drove back to the other side of town to pack down the shoot I had to walk off earlier.

Thursday. The car was going to cost $4K, but they suggest I get in touch with the car company as it maybe a fault. I had the car towed there meanwhile clearly visualising the phone call "Hello Miss, we are letting you know that your car is going to have the transmission replaced complimentary by us". I ran it over and over in my head.

The following week I had a coaching session with Kemi Nekvapil, this woman has changed my life in so many ways but I will save that in another chapter. Kemi gave me the encouragement I needed to book a day off for myself, do yoga, take myself out for brunch, write (about a personal project). I scheduled it into my calendar for the following week, 1 whole day for personal care, blocked out. The moment of magic, it was as if the clouds parted and the sun shone where I was standing and the angel chime rang (you know the sound). My car company rang "We are going to fix your car complimentary and you will have it back on Friday". 

The magic does exist and the message was clear - slow down, take care of yourself.  Without you, there is nothing. The world needs the magic inside of you, but you wont have anything to give if you don't stop once in a while, reflect and have gratitude for everything you have created in your life.

So my wish for you is to take time out, look after your body, mind and spirit.   Give your best to the world and savour the real magic.