Sometimes the Best Christmas Presents Arrive Late

I didn't realize it, but as early as 3 years old I was already spiritually aware. Well, sort of. You see, I don't remember being psychic in any way, and I certainly don't remember reading books like The Power of Now or watching movies like Peaceful Warrior. I didn't feel some grand connection to the oneness of the Universe, and I certainly wasn't aware of any out of body experiences.

One thing I did grasp though, was the power of the mind and spirit. I remember a recurring nightmare in which a bat would chase and scare the living daylights out of me! Every night. Over, and over, and over. When I told my Catholic mother of this, she told me I had the power to control my dreams. The ironic thing is, even after having all these terrifying dreams, I actually believed her.

Mind you, this was a bat with a wingspan as wide as my body was tall, and its body at least three times larger. It was especially frightening to a child my age. The dream came again, and again the bat chased me just like before... only this time I remembered my mother's words of wisdom. Before I knew it, I was riding this bat the same way that Atreyu from "The Neverending Story" rides Falcor. In that moment, I felt true freedom. A freedom that was revealed to me at the age of three through an introductory understanding of the power of intention.

I never had that nightmare again.

I did, however, gain the realization that I could influence my world. This came to be much clearer to me the following year when I turned four. You see, my family would go to church every week. I didn't understand, and I certainly didn't like being there, but I had to go. I grasped the idea that there was a "God" who listened to our prayers and answered them, but being only four years old he just didn't interest me all that much.

What did interest me though, was another entity from above: the Universe. Nightly, I would gaze up in awe and childlike wonder at the constellations, the Moon, the Milky Way, and the shooting stars of the Perseids. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was looking at God through a child's eyes. I also didn't realize that would be my first experience in the true power of intention.

Every night I would pray. Not to God, as my two older brothers and I had been taught in church and by my mother, but rather, I would pray to the stars. I have no idea why I asked for what I did, but I was passionate and diligent about it. It didn't matter if we were at home or in the car, I would find the stars and pray for Siamese twin sisters.

Yes, you heard me right: Siamese.

Of course, at that age I didn't realize what Siamese meant. I just thought I was asking for two sisters at the same time. I can only imagine the combination of adoration and heartbreak my parents felt as they had already decided not to have any more children, yet watched their four year old son so intent on such a beautiful dream.

Months passed with no answer. It is said that prayer is talking to God, and meditation is listening for the answer, but at that age I knew none of that. For a young child, that could be quite distressing to ask over and over and receive no response. Not for me though, and for months and months I continued to pray to the stars for my Siamese twin sisters. I had an unending source of confidence and faith that the stars were listening.

But just to make sure, I also took my request to Santa Claus. I knew that if anybody had the power to bring me the gift I wanted, it was him! When I asked Santa if I could have Siamese twin sisters for Christmas, he told me in rather certain terms...

"Chris, this one is going to take a bit more work than most Christmas presents. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to bring you a sister, but it probably won't be until summer. I hope that's okay."

What I didn't know, is my parents had already talked to Santa before I got up there. And after a few more months, my parents informed me that I would have a Gemini sister to share the world with. As I look back on my life, I realize that at four years old I was taught the powerful lesson of intention and that the Universe is always listening, even if we can't hear its response. To this day, when I look up at the stars at night, I whisper inside myself:

Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. Wish I may. Wish I might. Have this wish I wish tonight...