Fairy tales and superheroes and angels are real. I’ve seen them. They exist at a small place that’s closer to Canada than Metropolis. They exist when a group of people come together to just be. Do you know how hard it is to just “be”? A tiny verb that means big things. And that very small word can sometimes be the hardest thing to achieve. It goes beyond being “peaceful” and “in harmony” with yourself. It strips you down to your barest form and builds you back up with love and joy and balance.

We walk the line. We toe the line. We cross the line. We stand in line. We have heard every line. But we come to this place and the line disappears. It becomes a circle. And for one week, we fill that circle with emergency supplies to get us through the rest of the year. But instead of flashlights or bottled water or canned food, these supplies are memories and warmth. When emotional crises strike, these supplies keep us going. Just like the fairy tales of our youth, we can imagine the most wonderful outcomes in the worst situations.

One the greatest things to witness is interaction. Hugs in the real world are optional, but embraces in this place are the norm. We embrace each other, we embrace nature, we embrace the challenges and goals we set for ourselves. I WILL swim to the island. I WILL finish this novel I started in March. I WILL help cook food for 120 people. I WILL discover something new in my significant other. I WILL marvel at my child’s curiosity. I WILL giggle like a teenager and be as introspective as a senior. And this WILL”power” is what makes all of us superheroes.

And then, we see the angels. These rare, dazzling creatures that must have been hand-delivered by God directly to us. Because there is no other explanation as to why we are so lucky to be in their presence. These are the people that see the beauty in everything. You stand near them just to soak up the tranquility emanating from their souls. They make you believe in a higher good, because you finally start to believe in yourself. If heaven has an advertising department, these people are the pitchmen. And sometimes, God wants them to come back to the home office. So we take their words and their smiles, and we tuck them in the back of our pocket. We wrap our shoulders in their stories and laughter. We cover our heads with their kindness and strength. And we keep going through life, because we have a little bit of them traveling with us.

Guardian angels are real. Superheroes are real. Fairy tales are real. When reality comes howling at the front door, they will be waiting on your back porch. They aren’t your escape. They are your rescue. And they’re waiting. Right where they have always been.