To the Child in All of Us: Keep Wishing Upon Stars

A reminder to the child in all of us–please continue to wish upon the stars. Or as I recently did, into a phone at a magical booth. 

Sweet things often happen serendipitously. Last weekend, I found myself unplanned in the quaint downtown of Chester, Connecticut. Wandering through the streets, my eyes were drawn to a tall red booth with yellow stars. Turns out it is an art installation created by Christopher Owens, a local artist, encouraging people to dream and voice their deepest desires to the universe. Of course, I was up for it–I am the first one to bite upon magical bait. 

Inside the booth, I picked up the phone and a gravelly voice spoke to me about the importance of dreaming, whispering into my ear to speak my deepest desire. So, I did, and it felt so cute and childlike. Stepping out, I smiled at the winding Pattaconk Brook flowing under the bridge I stood upon, surrounded by small-town stone-walled rural charm. 

Turns out Owens hadn’t only mounted a star on the wishing booth, he has strewn over two hundred of his starry creations throughout the New England town – on windows, doors, at crossings, and more; creating a magical atmosphere, one certainly conducive to a fairytale story. 

I asked my son, all of 11.5, if he’d like to make a wish too but he shrugged me off, eyes all big — are you crazy? He’s too cool for school. Definitely the cool pre-teen, but me, I’m happy to hold onto childlike wonder at any age. 

Serendipitously bumping into Owens’ installation couldn’t have come at a better time emotionally either–while struggling to balance some outsize dreams, with gritty, practical realities. Owens' magical booth then was not only about making wishes, but also about believing in the magic of the universe, the flow and force of destiny and how it sweeps us all sometimes in unexpected ways. 

I was touched by the beauty of this tall booth, and its ability to connect humans, however briefly, to their deepest selves and passions through the simplest of ways. And for me, it was also a reminder to retain a sense of wonder, one of my core self-love love languages. Whether it is pausing to observe a dew drop on a flower, a northern cardinal’s crimson colors in flight, or taking a moment to wish upon a star, these small acts of pause, whimsy and play, are what make life bigger and more beautiful to me than a set of chores. Of course, it’s inevitable to get caught up in the powerful vortex of work-kids-family-life, it’s easy to become jaded, cynical and tired, but it is moments like these, when I allow myself to dream, wish, and hope, to prance for a bit, that I feel I am most connected to my Natasha-ness. 

So, here’s to the child in all of us. Whether you’re tossing coins into a fountain, blowing bubbles at your kids, or simply looking up at the night sky as it winks back, remember that the universe is vast and full of possibilities. And perhaps it responds with the most love to open hearts and hopeful spirits.