I was standing in front of a ruined building. The roof was gone, and the joists were caving in. The windows were just dark holes in the walls. Inside, rubble and litter piled up in front of crumbling architectural details. It was a shocking picture of criminal neglect and decay.
It was also – unmistakably – the shell of a certain world famous chateau in France.
oOo
When I was a little girl, there was a huge framed canvas of Chenonceau in my grandparents’ spare bedroom. I used to sleep right under it. Grandad would tease me that he’d take me there one day, and I’d laugh. I knew that the delicate fairytale confection in that picture on the wall wasn’t a real place. It was just something from a storybook.
No, I knew castles. I loved castles. They were my favourite thing in the world. I’d seen castles all over England and Wales. I knew that castles were hulking defensive structures with six-foot-thick walls. They had drawbridges and battlements and arrowslits through which to shoot missiles at invaders. This? This was more like a Disney movie made of spun sugar: a beautiful, delicate, white fantasy with intricate window surrounds, spindly turrets, and pretty gardens. This confection wouldn’t keep you safe from a single angry barbarian, let alone hordes of them. No, this was just an imaginary folly for a fictional princess in a story.
At least I thought so, until Grandma and Grandad took me to France.
I was nine years old, and it was the most magical day of my life, walking on air down an avenue of trees toward those familiar white turrets… and it was *real*, right there in front of me. Chenonceau was real, which meant that magic was real… just like Narnia, or The Neverending Story.
But this wasn’t what Chenonceau looked like in my dream the other night. In my dream, it looked more like this.
It was unmistakeable, but I could hardly bear to look around me at the decay and the neglect of this irreplaceable masterpiece.
The only person left at Chenonceau in my dream was the custodian, a tired, defeated old lady with a big bunch of keys and not much else to show for her years of watchful care. She just couldn’t save it on her own. “Mon coeur est absoluement cassé,” I told her. “My heart is completely broken.”
The stunning view from the chateau was gone. High, overgrown hedges eclipsed everything except the ugly apartment blocks that had been built in the grounds. Outside, people were standing around, if they bothered to stop and look up at all as they passed along the busy road that passed right by the ruin. They all watched as the wrecking ball began to demolish the topmost floors. “What else can you do?” they shrugged. “It’s just not practical, is it? There’s no realistic use for it in this day and age. I mean, who’s going to pour millions into that? It’s just a money pit!”
I couldn’t bear to look, and that was how I woke up – with my heart pounding and my inner nine-year-old horrified and defiant. The symbolism was clear. It was like a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future – if you don’t believe in your crazy, magical dream, it will crumble away.
Your vision may not seem very practical right now, either. It may seem about as practical as a delicate white chateau, with too many rooms and basic maintenance bills you don’t want to think about.
But it is all the more important and irreplaceable for its unique, unlikely delicacy. The magic is real, right here, right now, on Earth, if you let it in. Don’t lose the magic. Don’t grow up. Trust in your imagination. Believe in your creative vision. Trust in your quirky dream.
In real life Chenonceau is thriving, she’s loved, and she’s evidently well funded by those who believe in her. Not bad for a building that’s “just not practical”.
Your crazy, impractical, beautiful creative vision is just as rare and important. Look after it – especially if it seems unlikely, impractical, or silly. It needs you to believe in it if it’s going to live, and breathe, and inspire generations ahead of you who will learn to believe in magic… because you did.
Your vision is valid, and it’s yours for a reason. Believe in it. Act on it. Today.
Thank you for putting this out there! It’s just what I needed. Here’s to following the dream, wherever it takes us.
Wow! Absolutely needed this. I have such a long way to go to achieve my goal, and I feel like time is slipping away from me and I keep wondering if I can ever make it work. But I also have a feeling of certainty, I just need to keep hold of. Thank you for sharing your dream.
Wow. I love this! Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Thank you for keeping the light and shining bright xx
Thank you, your words sound like as this message was also for me.
Indeed it is an important message for everyone: we have to believe.
Never let our dreams die.
Thank you for this! I keep repeating the same pattern of: 1. working in a soul sucking job that takes up too much of my life 2. I get laid off and rejoice in my freedom but don’t take much action on my dreams 3. start freaking out about money and go to a different soul sucking job 4. repeat
I am trying something new this time and it is scary and it feels “not practical”. So again, thank you for this because it is a reminder that I was born impractical and I become miserable when I try to focus on being useful.
This was just what I needed today. Thank you so much, Cathy.
Cathy, I have to thank you for this. I have a vision and I am thinking I am not good enough to make it what it is in my head. I am scared. I have missed 2 of your latest call ins as a stitching, mostly because I work full time. But I am catching up this weekend. Thank you Cathy for you!!
I have read this twice now and will have to save it to read a dozen times more. This is so beautifully written and the message so important. Definitely going to be thinking about this for a bit.
Thank you. Brick by brick, the palace is going back up.
Dear Cathy, I came across your video yesterday when you were in a castle, a place of lodging & found that special book in the library. It was a “key” to a piece of history & a subject very dear to your heart. This chateau in the picture was the original “key” that awakened something precious in you. It awakened a gifting & part of your identity. This image was the beginning of a dream realized when your grandparents took you to the real thing. All this would shape you & points to your destiny or at least a pivotal piece of it. Seeing this dream come to life before your eyes was powerful & it solidified your faith in the impossible. This is critical & would most certainly be challenged. Another piece to this that may not have come to mind yet, is who else will be impacted by this? Something so big & so challenging usually will impact others. It could be a group of people or 1 significant person. Bottom line, this peacock dress commission is imperative & will undoubtedly be a catalyst to something bigger than you & this very special dress. I would ask God to lead you, guide you, send the resources & divine connections, along with revelation on how to begin & the steps to take to make this dream a reality. God bless you Cathy!
Thank you so much, Cathy for sharing this, just what I needed!
Thank you so much, Cathy! The world urgently needs people who dream and believe in their dreams and always throw in so much energy- really everything- to let them come to life! Just now I’m working with others – also big dreamers- on a “Peter Pan” ballet perfomance of the ballet school where my daughter is teaching- and just now, before the first big costume rehearsal we all are tired and exhausted to the bones- and all the work is done for a big thank you- nobody earns a single cent- BUT how big is the reward to see 300 people happily dancing,to see your costumes in action, to see the story coming to life, to be part of such a creative outburst! Such things are really “dreams bringing to life” and I believe that they have an impact not only on the persons who come to see the ballet, not only on all who are active parts, but a little bit also on our world…
Inspiring. Thank you
This is the second time you have really spoken to my soul about being who and what I REALLY want from life, and I am going to keep moving forward even if I do not know where the road is taking me. Thank you for the reminder that is is never too late.
Thank you dear angel, your words sound like a kind hand on our fears of reject and help us to stop doubting ourselves because of others.
And yes magic exists !
Just the pep talk I needed Cathy! Id been working on my art project for the last few years but had coasted to a gentle halt some months ago – essentially since Christmas. A combination of life changes and procrastination to be honest. It took a long time to grow into believing in my work and me by extension and you helped me in that journey. I just cant believe that after everything I have left it so long. I’m at that next hurdle where I actually have to begin the work and I’ve stalled. I have the fanciful castle in my head, now I just have to get it out before the decay of apathy sets in. A timely reminder – Thank you x
So timely. I also have a vision, and at times, it seems like nothing but moats and dragons and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But, I hang on to that vision. And keep overcoming all the obstacles.
Thank you for sharing Cathy.
“The magic is real, right here, right now-” “Your vision is valid, and it’s yours for a reason. Believe in it. Act on it. Today.”
… and thus it was that I entered the next forest.
good morning Cathy! this was the perfect story to read-what a dream!! keep them coming & thank you for the inspiration too. Have a great day!
Amen.
Oh, Cathy… <3
Go for it. GO! <3
This is a beautiful thought, especially when people around you try to commercialize every little idea into something mass-produced. Just following a dream could be… refreshing. As you said, we all need a little magic in our lives.
Dear Cathy
Please feel free to not publish this comment if you feel like.
Your dream has absolutely stunned me because I had an identical reccuring dream.
In my dream life I already knew that buildings represent my body and I was feeling exhausted. It was only after dreaming this dream for two years that I discovered I have severe osteoporosis when I had a spinal fracture.
We all dream differently and with different meaning but I encourage you to look at the physical as well as the emotional foundations of your dream.
All good wishes and thanks for your encouraging words that are causing me to forge ahead with my own dreams.
Jane
Have you contacted the revived House of Worth to see if the will sponsor the Peacock Dress remake as publicity. I know you have been uncomfortable asking for funds to realize this dress but we need to either find corporate sponsors or tiny private donations. With your youtube viewership you should be able to get squarespace to provide some funding towards the project for exchange of publicity.
Hi Cathy,
I love your efforts for the Peacock Dress( just stumbled on it recently) Please do a segment on Indian embroidery on dresses like this. Also, please visit sabyasachiofficial and see the Taj saree. Mr. Sabyasachi and Ritu Kumar do amazing work with Indian embroidéry !!. Mr. Sabyasachi does exclusive work for brides.
Interesting reading through the comments. Some take it as personal validation, others use this to encourage you to live your own dream (their own forgotten, perhaps?) while still others see a personal vision passed from you to them.
I have my own dream, which I’ve set aside for various reasons. Life happens, but when I’m chasing my dream I’m so much happier. There’s no comparison.
Okay…
This is too much!
I’ve also been to chenonceau !
When I first met my husband he took me there that Easter … 10 days in Paris staying off st germain, walking to much…
Day trips to giverney and Loire valley. Chenonceau had beautiful flowers of Easter themes – nests etc
Oh my! Lunch there .
I have a photo of us standing with it in the background. Much like the photo here, but mor over near the entrance.
He’s been gone 7 years now and I’m still trying to get my life together and creative energy back.
This is a sign from him- through you.
Thank you my dear
I am literally in tears as I read this. Perfect words at the perfect time, as if by divine appointment.
I’m still awaiting a crystal clear vision of my dream. But something is definitely taking shape.
This is encouraging me to pursue my vision no matter how blurred it may appear and to trust that it will one day be made clear.
Thank you ????????
I just found this (or it found me 😉 ) and thought “synchronicity”! It was only after reading the comments that I realized it was exactly today, yet a year ago! Thank you for your wonderful words of wisdom – they struck a chord, or rather, a whole chorus. And for living the dream and helping us to live ours, with all its magic. Here’s to a happy, fulfilling life, living the creative talents we’re blessed with. Merci de tout coeur, beautiful Cathy <3
in keeping with the theme of this discussion….”back to the chateau” for all its faults is exactly what you are talking about…a couple with a dream that they fulfilled…a run down chateau that they brought back from the brink…dream big you might be surprised
This is so beautiful, and eerily pertinent to my life right now. Thank you.
Hello Cathy, I wondered if you had considered some kind of crowd-sourcing of embroiderers from all over the world who might donate their time to make a single motif, which could all then be pieced together to make the dress. I know there are lots of con’s to this idea and it may not be physically practical, but one of the pro’s is that you would have a ‘map’ of everyone who had made each piece. I know I would jolly well learn to do the stitches to make a contribution.
I was in Derby two years ago and not realising that Kedleston hall was the home of the dress I missed out on visiting.
Many thanks for your Youtube videos which is where I found out about the dress and this site.
Best regards, Helen
I am so grateful that I found this today. It is just what I need to spur me on to get my “vision” completed, by God’s grace.