sent from: London, UK. destination: San Ramon, California, USA

“Me and my friends can’t wait to be eleven.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked my niece. “Why not?”
“Because when we turn eleven we’ll find out if we’re wizards.”
One of the things that happens when you’re older is that possibilities narrow. I know I wont be an astronaut any more. I’m not a prodigy at anything. My hair-modelling days are behind me. All this is something of a relief, quite frankly, but it’s easy to forget how magical life can feel when all possibilities are open, and when you’re reminded of it for a moment I can believe that an owl might fly into her room with a letter.
It’s her birthday today. She’s not yet eleven, but it’s one year closer.
Happy Birthday x