My grandparents built a large, ranch-style home when I was about six years old. The living room was the heart of the house with real wood paneling, cathedral ceilings and a stone fireplace that dominated the living room. From the living room were two "wings": the dining room and kitchen and then the four (huge to a six year old) bedrooms. One of those bedrooms was the magic room.
The magic room was named the "magic room" because of a painting - a reverse glass painting to be exact. It was called "On the Danube" and it had a mysterious castle with mother of pearl windows and a path that led to the Danube... complete with a ship to take you to magical places. It had belonged to my father's grandparents and had been given to my grandparents. Both had hung it in their homes. I'd fall asleep in the bed that belonged to my great grandparents - the one my uncle was born in - and dream magic dreams in that room.
When we lost my grandparents, Daddy got the magic painting from the magic room. Unfortunately, by then it had been subjected to so many changes in temperature, most of the paint had flaked off the glass. The magic painting was lost.
Thanksgiving weekend, when he and my mother were visiting, I turned a corner in an antique shop and happened upon another copy of the magic painting.I pulled it off the wall and rushed to pay for it with tears in my eyes. I think Daddy had a tear too when he saw it. You see we believe in miracles, and we found a miracle that day.
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