Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a chance to rest, reflect, reconnect and revitalize during the holiday season. And I hope the new year, and the new beginnings it offers, bring you firm resolve and a healthy perspective. Isn't it comforting to know, though, that no matter how much newness comes your way, some things never change?
Two of our kids went back to school today. They had slightly more than two weeks off. At least one of them got into bed last night hoping for a snow day the next morning. Mind you, if all she had done was hope, then I wouldn't be blogging about it. This particular child had heard that you could cause a snowstorm by putting ice down your PJ pants and sleeping with a spoon beneath your pillow. True story! Let me be perfectly clear here - this is a very smart child who knew how utterly ridiculous this "theory" sounded and yet what if it proved to be true? Really? So the ice went down her pants and the spoon went under her pillow and, wouldn't you know, when we woke up this morning, the temperature had plummeted. Instead of waking up and admitting defeat, this awesome child declared her experiment successful and wondered if a second night might do the trick. What can I say?
Why is it that any of us would think for a minute that there's even the slightest possibility that we could affect the weather? Well, many of us don't but we do talk about influencing the cosmic scheme in other ways. One of our daughters will never talk about what she thought of a math test for fear of jinxing her grade. We often say we don't want to jinx anything by stating a fact like "I haven't had the flu this year". As if a statement could alter reality... Sheesh, I hope it can't because I really haven't had the flu this year! On some level, we must be allowing for the possibility, remote as it may be, that we have tremendous power and influence. As we kick a new year into high gear, I hope we will all use that power for good.
Please don't put ice down your PJs tonight. Instead, consider reading Meg Cabot's Jinx, a chilling novel of paranormal romantic suspense, with your middle or high schooler. Regarding her inspiration for the book, Meg Cabot states the following on her website,:
I got the idea for JINX from my family history: I'm related to a healer who is rumored to have been one of the last women burned at the stake in England for witchcraft.
My family legend goes that every seventh granddaughter descended from her is supposed to have inherited her magical powers. I always thought that meant me...although, like Jinx, every time I've tried to test it out, it never went well--down pours instead of snow days, the wrong boy liking me, etc. So I've learned to leave well enough alone!
My dad always maintained that his grandmother was a witch. She could heal warts with a touch of a hand, he claimed.
Weirdly, my mom's nickname is Jinx...but only because she was born on Friday the 13th! She claims to possess no magical powers, however, beyond those of having inspired The Princess Diaries...and the title of this book, as well!And don't forget to put a spoon under your pillow!
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