I heard this wonderful fable when I was a little girl, and its always stayed with me. I hope it'll inspire you, as it has me, to pick up a "magic geranium" and create a little holiday magic of your own.
THE MAGIC GERANIUM
A woman living in a dark and dreary apartment is given an enchanted flower by a wise man who tells her to take it home; it will transform her life. She's baffled at how this "enchanted flower" will do anything for her, much less "transform her life".
The woman goes home and puts the enchanted flower on her dining table, where she notices the crimson beauty of the petals make the table look dull. She polishes the table and revels in its' beautiful wood grain. She'd forgotten how lovely a table it is. So she sits down to admire it, but no sooner does she sit down, she realizes the curtains look shabby and gray against the deeply hued flower and the freshly-polished table upon which it sits.
She washes the curtains, hangs them up and, as before, sits down to admire how fresh and clean they look.....when she notices her floor looks rather dreary next to the polished table, the freshly laundered curtains and the beautiful crimson plant. She scrubs the floor until it shines. Eventually her entire home is sparkling. The woman, feeling truly uplifted, takes out the good china and linens (which she'd been saving but never used) and sets the table with them and other finery she has long forgotten. She puts on some music, invites friends over for dinner - and you guessed it - LIVES HAPPILY EVER AFTER in her bright and cheerful home.
I'm often reminded of this charming fable in my work as a Professional Organizer, as I witness the miracle of change daily; I see first hand how beauty and order are transcendant, how they enrich us and motivate us to live in a more fulfilling way. As in the fable, each change subtly coaxes the next change, and then the next, until that magical moment is attained and one feels the sense of calm and satisfaction of a newly-transformed space. The results are always the same..MAGIC!
So this season, consider giving those special people on your list the gift of a "magic geranium" and see where the magic takes them.
Wishing you a joyous holiday filled with all the delights - and magic - of the season, and as always, be well, be safe, be organized!
xxx's,
Nancy P.S. To this day, I still believe in the power of the
Magic Geranium.
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LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS? Here are a few of my favorites: I love gifts that don't take up a lot of space and are practical; even better if the gift speaks to a person's particular likes, needs or hobby. And finally - gifts that give back. I've included Dancing Deer Bakery because a portion of their sales benefit The Sweet Home Project (they donate 35% of retail sales to help homeless and at-risk mothers) and Charity: Water, an organization which provides clean safe water to those around the world who are in desperate need.
gift certificates: Broadway Theater Tickets
American Express Gift Card
The Gift of Organization - Ask me about
Goodbye Clutter's special holiday certificate
And finally, what says "I love you" (or "I have too much time on my hands") more than a hand-made needlepoint  iPhone case? You can make this yourself using the kit, which includes all the supplies you'll need.
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