The Story of Felix and the Magic Sea

Felix and the Magic Sea came to me in a dream—one of those vivid dreams where you feel like you’re truly there, watching the characters live out their story. I knew I was dreaming, but I was afraid that if I woke up, the story would slip away. So, I made myself go through it again, more consciously this time, as if I were memorizing it.

When I finally woke up, I furiously jotted down notes, trying to capture everything before it faded. The following weekend, I sat down in front of my laptop to write—and as I did, I cried. The big, juicy-tear kind.

I cried over my son, Ethan, who passed away at one and a half. I cried over all the transitions I’ve gone through with my daughters, knowing that I’m only two years away from becoming an empty nester. And I cried because, in the story, Felix always comes back to his mother—every morning, and then years later—and I cried because she had raised him into a wonderful husband and father, all the while worrying about him, as parents so naturally do.

As a mother, I felt this story as I wrote it, and I hope other parents feel it too—long after their children are grown and have children of their own. For the children, I hope they see the beauty of growing up and leaving their parents to have adventures in this big, beautiful world.

But most of all, I hope those children never forget their parents…and always come back home to visit.

This story is for every parent who has ever loved and had to let go. 💙