Going to the castle

Dreams really do come true.

Once upon a time, a little girl dreamed of going to a castle. At the age of 10, she watched the movie Cinderella and sang along with Leslie Warren: “In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be.”

That little girl was me. I get to be whatever I want to be … a writer. And guess what? I got to visit and stay in a real castle. Insert a dancing emoji. I even have my own Prince Charming, a.k.a. Prince Charles.

A few months ago, I was invited to join some writer friends for a soul-care retreat at the Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs, Colo. They had me at the word “castle.”

Daughters First … a retreat for the communicator’s soul.

I knew that the “soul” part of me was weary; I just didn’t realize how weary until Jennifer Dukes Lee, one of my favorite authors, discussed the profound meaning of the 23^rd Psalm. She lives on a farm in Iowa. When she talked about leaving the lights on, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. JDL is a treasure to those with weary souls.

Did you know that a shepherd does not run … unless it’s after a lost sheep? Did you know a sheep does not lie down unless it feels safe?

Each soul care session seemed to be one that my soul needed, even the one where we painted colors on a canvas representing things like peace, strength, and forgiveness. Upon all the colors of the paint a cross was painted. I found my inner artist! I may have left it there at the castle.

Rhythms of Rest showed me I need to see the value of resting and not always having to be productive. This was a big one for me.

Releasing our suffering to Jesus had me thinking about the Carrie Underwood song, “Jesus Take the Wheel.” I admit I have control issues. I found some true kindred spirits in this session; yes, there were tears.

Decluttering the soul had me take a spiritual inventory of areas of personal struggle. Codependency, anxiety and fear, and, of course, people-pleasing were my big three. You can take your own struggle finder quiz at regenerationrecovery.org.

I could write column after column about what I learned about my soul and how it needs to be cared for. There will be upcoming ones that I feel must be written, some serious, some hysterical.

One day, my friends Jackie Freeman, Jessica Bolyard, and I walked to the Garden of the Gods. We were told it was not that far – after all, we could see it. 16,677 steps later, we arrived back at the castle – almost seven miles. Stay tuned.

Three of my writer friends were on the plane in Denver that caught fire on their way home. We are not only kindred spirits but also kindred calamity-finders. My friend, Casey Hilty, has given her guitar a new name: Shadrach.

The day we left Glen Eyrie Castle, a nearby 20-acre wildfire was set by an arsonist. They found and arrested him. I imagined him hiding in the castle.

The Glen Eyrie Castle is owned by the Navigators, a ministry that emphasizes God’s inspiration for the scriptures. Volunteers come each month to help with the daily functions. I met a couple from Indiana who volunteer each March. In our conversation, Phil realized he knew my husband, and his wife, Barb, had been given a copy of my book, When the Hart Speaks, by a friend. It is truly a small world.

During our free time, I could hike and find a bench to have my devotions, watch wild turkeys, and admire the rock formations of the Garden of the Gods. Signs were warning me to be cautious of rattlesnakes.

The Glen Eyrie Castle was built in the early 1870s by William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War general who founded Colorado Springs. The castle has 67 rooms. Mine was everything I could imagine. Climbing onto the bed was challenging; think about the bed in the story The Princess and the Pea.

I’m back home in the little house on the alley with my Prince Charming. My soul is quite rested.

So yes, that little girl who sang “I can be whatever I want to be” grew up to be a writer and got to sleep in a real castle. Dreams really do come true.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.