Moments in Winter Neverland

La Vie en Magenta will always chronicle the precious hours that I spend with my little goddaughter Renata, who turned 6 in December. One blessed day together just after New Year’s in France, once again made Neverland come to life in the best of ways.

Having read something like this in December a very long time ago, I have always trusted in the special brand of Christmas miracles.

Where there is great Love, there are always miracles. And where there are miracles there is always, always great joy.

Back in November, once I had arranged details to be in France to spend Christmas and New Year’s, I learned that I wouldn’t be spending Christmas with my precious little Renata. My heart was understandably very sad for this ... and, it wasn’t long before soft, gentle, divine whispers reminded me to please trust in Christmas miracles. Again.

During my magical stay in Bayeux, Renata’s angelic Mamie (grandmother) Marinette and I communicated regularly. With her very willing and generous kindness and that of Papi Pierre, and her sister Marietta and husband Gerard, we set a date for the Saturday after New Year’s, to meet in Le Mans.

They would be bringing Renata to see me, and we all very much looked forward to a relaxed, post-holiday date together. Actually, I was popping out of my skin with excitement, and I’m going to guess that Renata was too.

On a rare sunny Bayeux morning, I already felt entirely loved up as I walked to the train station, with a bag tucked with surprises for Renata and my lovely family whom I could not wait to be with. My train journey took nearly 3 hours and, the last 10 minutes seemed to take the longest!

At the Le Mans station, Renata rushed to my arms at light speed, and we just hugged each other for a short eternity. I never wanted to let go.

We enjoyed a fantastic lunch and conversations at a local bistro and gratefully most of my francais was understood (!). Renata speaks only English with me and for much of this time, she was just content to cuddle and snuggle at the table together and not say so much. I surely didn’t mind.

La famille at lunch in Le Mans.

After lunch we visited a Royal Abbey from the Middle Ages with a great gift store that we all very much enjoyed, especially Renata. She tried on a myriad of princess hats and finally – when I asked her to choose just one - she opted for the light pink which was of course, perfectly adorable on her.

Our day together ended all too soon with warm drinks at a hotel near the train station, and more cuddling between Renata and me. That night as my train was ready to leave, Renata was blowing kiss after kiss, until the last minute. I never love leaving my precious little one, yet I felt blessed beyond measure - our time together had been as close to perfect as it gets.

That night, even having returned Bayeux in the cold pouring rain, my heart was warm, filled with overflowing joy. My ladies and I messaged each other quite late to send fotos. I told them in my best French that I felt like heaven had been brought down to earth, and I was profoundly grateful to them for having made that possible.

Nearing 12am, I still could not fall asleep. I read poems from Love is Everywhere by Robert Holden, which book lives on my night table. His poem Gelato says my heart is just too big for my body right now. This precious line seemed to describe my feelings with the absolute purest of accuracy. In the morning, I wrote to tell my loves about exactly that.

Great love. Miracles. Great Joy.

Three things that are always, always going to be there ... in Neverland.