So it has come time to come clean, as I have heard some say in the past. I will start by saying yes, I am no longer like you are, my readers of these little parts of my way. I find what is not there. Truthfully, I was doing that long before I ever became what I am today. Becoming the Angel of the Earth Realm did not suddenly make me notice hidden things. It only gave me different tools to work with. The real gift came years before, from my mom, my dad, and the way I was brought up to think. You see, if you have not read the stories my Karl has already shared with all of you, this next part might seem a little strange, and I completely understand that. I know you are here now, however there are simply facts that cannot be squeezed into a small paper like this. Karl says I always want to explain everything. He is right. I do. I like people understanding why things happen, not just that they happened. But if I did that every time, this little paper would turn into one of Karl's giant books, and then he would probably grin at me and say, "See, Sunshine Girl, you finally became the reporter." I refuse to give him that satisfaction...well...not today anyway. So my new sleuths, everything I have taught you up to this point was never a special power. It was simply the way I learned to look at the world. Anyone can learn those lessons if they truly want to. That is actually one of the happiest things I can tell you today because it means none of you are left out. Every one of you can become better at seeing the hidden if you decide to practice it.

This brings us back to what this chapter is really about. So I will try to dip my toes into the water of who I really am instead of diving in headfirst and splashing everyone standing around the pool. Trust me, if I dumped our whole story on you at once, half of you would probably close the book, blink a few times, and wonder if Karl accidentally slipped mushrooms into my breakfast. So we will just make little ripples together. I think ripples are prettier anyway. They travel farther, and they let people decide how deep they want to go. So...here we go. I am the Angel of the Earth Realm. That is not a title you apply for. There are no interviews. No tests. No giant book with a hundred questions at the end where someone stamps "Passed" across the front. Believe me, I looked. It is not even something you can study your way into. You cannot wake up one morning and decide, "Well, I think today I shall become an Angel." It simply does not work that way. It is something that is given because of who you are when nobody is looking. Because of the choices you make when no one is keeping score. Because of what matters to your heart when the easy choice and the right choice are standing side by side looking at you. The best way I can explain it is that one day it was almost as if something looked down at me, smiled, pointed a finger, and quietly said, "That one. She is the example we want." And from that tiny moment, everything changed.

Now before all of you start looking around your living rooms wondering if someone is about to point at you too, do not worry. I certainly was not expecting it either. I was just trying to live my life, solve my puzzles, love my Karl, and avoid being eaten by things that really should not exist. You know...normal relationship stuff. At least normal for us. That is also where my Karl comes into this story because no matter what title was given to me, Karl became something even more important. He became my protector. He protects what I carry, what I represent, and honestly, sometimes he protects me from myself when my curiosity gets a little too excited. Curiosity has always been one of my biggest problems. If someone tells me, "Julie, whatever you do, don't open that box," my brain immediately starts asking twelve questions about the box. Why not? Who made it? How old is it? Is it dangerous? Is there another box inside the box? Karl usually just sighs, smiles that little smile of his, and says, "My bride..." because he already knows I am going to want answers. I love that man more than words will ever explain.

I know this all sounds mysterious, and believe me, there is enough mystery in our lives to keep a thousand reporters employed forever. Karl actually warned me before I started writing these little lessons. He said, "Julie, don't give everyone the CliffNotes version of our lives." I still have absolutely no idea why they would put notes on a cliff. That seems terribly unsafe. People could fall. But apparently it means telling too much too quickly, so I promised him I would behave myself. At least I promised to try. That is usually the best promise I can honestly make.

So where was I? Oh yes! See? That happens to me sometimes. My thoughts get so excited they all try to leave the starting line together. Anyway, I was given certain powers that belong only to me, and a few that only truly work because Karl and I are together. I think that part is actually my favorite. Not because the powers are wonderful, although some of them certainly make life interesting, but because they remind me every single day that I was never meant to walk this journey alone. Karl and I were built to stand side by side. If one of us falls, the other reaches down. If one laughs, the other usually laughs harder. If one cries...well...the other cries too. That is what our bond really is. The powers are just little decorations hanging on something much more important.

I already know what some of you are thinking because if I were reading this instead of writing it, I would probably be thinking the exact same thing. "Julie...where did all the bubbly girl go? Where is the smiling jungle girl who gets distracted by butterflies and old books and flowers and thinks squirrels are probably discussing politics?" She is still right here. I promise. The truth is our life is not nearly as cheerful as I try to make it sound sometimes. There are days when Karl and I wake up already tired because we know something unpleasant is waiting for us before breakfast. There are days when almost every group we encounter wants us to fail for one reason or another. There are days when I just want to curl up beside Karl, read one of my favorite books, eat something sweet, and pretend the universe has forgotten where we live. Unfortunately, the universe usually remembers our address.

However, here is the wonderful part, you guys. Karl and I have already decided we are not going to fail. That decision was made a long time ago. Oh, we might stumble. We might get bruised. We might even look completely ridiculous once in a while. I know I certainly have. I still remember one time I tried to act all serious in front of Karl because I thought it made me look important. He looked at me for about five seconds before bursting out laughing. I asked him what was so funny, and he simply said, "Julie...you have a flower in your hair, peanut butter on your sleeve, and you're trying to look intimidating." Well...there went my grand entrance. So no, we are not perfect. We are simply determined. There is a huge difference between those two things. That determination is what gives me my joy. It is not the powers. It is not the title. It is waking up every morning beside the man I love and knowing that no matter what waits outside the front door, we will meet it together. That is what makes me smile. So enough of all the mysterious stuff for a little while. You came here to hear about the powers, and I suppose I have made you wait long enough. Karl always says I tell three stories before getting to the one I started with. He is absolutely right...again. I really wish he would stop being right so often.

I will start with my favorite power because, well, if you have something exciting to share, why save it until the end? Life is too short for that. This is the easiest power to use without even realizing I am using it, and because Karl and I only use our gifts when they are truly needed against the evils, it is also one of the hardest powers for me to keep under control. It is called the Power of CHARM. Now before every lady reading this throws the paper across the room, let me explain. I did not ask for this. I certainly did not order it from a catalog somewhere. It simply became part of me. All I have to do is truly want something, and if I am looking into the eyes of the person who can give it to me, they feel themselves wanting to help. It is almost like a little bee finding a flower without really knowing why it picked that one. It just feels right to them. That sounds wonderful until you realize the funny side of it.

You see, people have actually walked over to me, smiled, handed me something completely random, wished me a wonderful day, and walked away. Then about twenty feet later they suddenly stop, turn around, run back, point at me, and yell, "Hey! You stole that!" And there I am standing with both hands in the air trying to hand it back while Karl is over in the corner trying very, very hard not to laugh. He always waits until the person leaves before he starts grinning at me. Then he gets that little sparkle in his eyes that says he is about to tease me for the next three days. Honestly, I deserve it sometimes. So the lesson I learned from CHARM is actually a very simple one. Be careful what you truly want. Sometimes getting your wish creates a much bigger problem than not getting it at all. I have learned to keep my wishes very small unless the situation truly matters because I never want another person to lose something simply because my heart wanted it more than theirs did. That would not be fair, and fairness has always mattered to me.

Now let us move to the power that is probably the most fun, at least when nobody is trying to chase us. I really do wish I could use this one on Karl once in a while because I can already imagine the look on his face if I suddenly turned him into what looked like a tiny turtle while he was trying to write one of his serious newspaper articles. Sadly, there is one little drawback. None of these powers work on my life partner. My husband is completely protected from them. I suppose that is probably for the best because, if I am being completely honest with all of you, I would absolutely abuse that privilege just enough to make him roll his eyes at me every single week. So Karl, if you ever read this years from now, you should probably thank whoever made that rule.

The power is called TRANSFORMATION. It sounds much bigger than it really is until you understand how it works. I can become someone else for a short time, or by touching something I can change how another person sees it. The object itself never changes. The color never truly changes. The shape never changes. Only the way another mind interprets it changes. Imagine touching a little red car and everyone around you suddenly believes they are looking at a blue truck. The real object is still sitting there exactly as it was. Only their eyes are telling a different story. The funniest example I can think of is changing someone so they appear to be a tiny bug. If another person runs over to squash the bug, they do not hit the bug at all. They simply run straight into the real person standing there. It is rather amusing...well...unless you are the one doing the running. Then it is probably a little embarrassing. I know these explanations sound odd, and believe me, I struggled trying to explain them without making everyone think I had completely lost my marbles. Sometimes I wish I could simply hand you my memories for five minutes. It would save me thousands of words. Then again, Karl would probably tell me I had just invented another shortcut and stolen another reporter's job.

Now before you start thinking I spend all day changing people into bugs and cars into pumpkins, let me stop you right there. I hardly ever use these gifts unless there is a real reason. They were never meant to entertain me. They were given to protect, to confuse evil when it needs confusing, and to keep Karl and me alive long enough to make it home for supper. Although...I will admit there have been a few moments where I have looked at someone being especially grumpy and thought, "You know, you'd make a very convincing toad." Don't worry, I behaved myself. Mostly. All this is true, and I truly hope none of you think less of me for having something I never asked to receive. Sometimes people assume that if someone has an unusual gift, their whole life must be easy. Oh, my new sleuths, if only that were true. Every gift comes with a responsibility attached to it, and usually the bigger the gift, the bigger the responsibility. I have learned that lesson more times than I care to count. Still, I cannot deny that being chased down a street and quietly changing how our little car appears has saved Karl and me more than once. I suppose if you are going to receive strange powers, it is nice that at least one of them has a playful side.

Now we come to the one that honestly keeps me awake some nights. This one is not my favorite. It is the one that makes me wonder how many questions I still have that I may never find answers to. I have lain beside Karl after he has fallen asleep and simply stared at the ceiling wondering if somewhere out there another person has looked at me during the day and quietly used this very same ability. You see, if I was given these powers, who is to say there are not others with gifts of their own? The universe has surprised me far too many times for me to ever say, "That could never happen." Every time I have said those words, something has happened a few days later just to prove me wrong. So I stopped saying them.

The power is called MANIPULATION. It is a little like CHARM, but only if CHARM decided to grow up, become much stronger, and lose its sense of humor. CHARM encourages. MANIPULATION directs. There is a very big difference between those two things. It reaches into the thoughts of those around me and gently...or sometimes not so gently...moves them toward a purpose. I do not enjoy using it. In fact, I avoid it whenever I possibly can because I believe every person deserves the chance to make their own choices. Choice is precious. It is one of the greatest gifts any of us have. Taking that away from someone, even for a good reason, has always made me uncomfortable.

But sometimes there is no other option.

Karl and I once entered a large complex to meet someone we did not know very well. We had no idea what was waiting for us inside, and to be honest, I had one of those funny little feelings in my tummy that usually tells me something exciting is about to happen. Exciting is not always a good thing, by the way. Sometimes exciting means, "Julie, today is going to be very long." So without really thinking much about it, I simply wished for everyone around me to become my protectors.

The result startled even me.

Every single man on that floor quietly stood up. No shouting. No confusion. No panic. They simply formed a circle around Karl and me and looked outward in every direction as though they had trained together their entire lives. Nobody spoke. Nobody questioned why they were doing it. They simply knew they were protecting us. Then, the very second I relaxed and stopped thinking about danger, every one of them calmly returned to exactly what they had been doing before, almost as if nothing had happened at all.

It was one of the strangest things I have ever witnessed.

I remember looking over at Karl afterward, and he simply gave me that look. You know the one. The one husbands have that somehow says, "Well...that certainly happened," without speaking a single word. I almost laughed because if I did not laugh, I think the whole thing would have frightened me more than it already had.

That is why I almost never use MANIPULATION. I know many people reading this are probably already imagining all the clever things they would do with a power like that. I understand. I probably would have done the same before all of this became my life. But after living with it, I can honestly tell you it is much heavier than it sounds. Every time you influence another person's choices, even for the right reason, you have to ask yourself whether you had the right to do so. I ask myself that question every single time.

For me, the answer is almost always no.

That is why I choose kindness whenever I can. I would much rather ask than command. I would rather explain than force. I would rather convince someone with a smile than with a power. Maybe that is one of the reasons I was trusted with these gifts in the first place. I honestly do not know. There are many things about my life that I still do not understand, and strangely enough, I am becoming more comfortable admitting that. Years ago I thought I needed every answer. Now I think some mysteries are simply meant to stay mysteries a little while longer.

There are other reasons I believe I was chosen, but those belong to Karl and me, and I think some parts of a person's heart should remain exactly where they belong.

The final major power I was given is a little different from the others. It is quieter. It does not make a grand entrance. It does not leave people scratching their heads wondering what just happened five minutes later. But do not let that fool you because quiet things are often the strongest things in the world. A tiny seed can split solid concrete if you give it enough time. A whisper can sometimes change a person's whole life more than someone shouting at them ever could. This gift is very much like that.

It is called the Power of INFLUENCE.

You see, all of these powers originally belonged to Aphrodite, the very first Angel of the Earth Realm. They are not mine because I earned them. They are mine because they were entrusted to me, and one day they will probably belong to someone else long after Karl and I are finished with our own little adventure. Thinking about that actually makes me smile because it means the story keeps going. Someone else will someday sit where I am sitting, wondering why in the world they were picked. I hope they have someone like Karl beside them. It makes the scary days much easier.

INFLUENCE sounds like a tiny gift when you first hear the name, but it reaches much farther than most people imagine. I can influence peaceful creatures around me. Bees, doves, swans, rabbits, birds, and so many gentle little lives that most people never even notice as they rush through their day. I can ask them for help, and they understand me. Not because I speak some magical animal language with squeaks and chirps. Believe me, if you heard me trying to chirp back at a bird, Karl would laugh himself silly. It is more like sharing an understanding. A feeling. A direction.

Sometimes I simply ask. Sometimes they simply know. I have always thought that was beautiful.

The world is full of living things, and most of them just want to live in peace. They are not trying to conquer kingdoms or become famous or win arguments on the internet. They just want sunshine, food, their families, and another tomorrow. Honestly...I think we humans could learn a thing or two from rabbits.

One of my favorite things to do is simply sit outside quietly. No great adventure, no mystery, no evil kings, no running. Just me, a cup of tea, Karl reading something beside me, and the little bunnies slowly deciding I am safe enough to visit.

That is one of my happiest places.

Even before these gifts came into my life, the animals always seemed comfortable around me. They would come closer than they did to most people, and I never understood why. I certainly was not feeding every creature in Australia...although I probably tried once or twice. Looking back now, maybe they knew something long before I did.

Because I always treated them gently, another gift eventually appeared.

I can hear them. Well..."hear" is probably not the perfect word; "understand" might be better. I know when they are frightened, when they have found something unusual, when they are trying to show me a direction. That has helped Karl and me more times than I could ever count.

There have been days when a frightened bird told me where danger was waiting long before we reached it. There have been times when little animals helped us search for someone who had become lost. I never force them. I simply ask, and if they choose to help, they do. I think that is one of the nicest parts of all these gifts. They are built on cooperation instead of fear.

Sometimes I even borrow a dove's eyes for a few moments.

That is still one of the strangest feelings I have ever experienced.

Imagine suddenly seeing the world from far above the trees. Roads become little ribbons. Houses become tiny blocks. Karl becomes one very handsome little dot waving at me from the ground. All right...he probably is not waving, but I like imagining that he is.

It reminds me that the world is much bigger than the problems standing right in front of us.

Sometimes all we really need is a different point of view.

That is another lesson my mom would have loved.

Then there is LEVITATION.

Now this one still surprises me because I have almost never seen it happen myself. Other people tell me what happened afterward, and I just stand there blinking as though they are talking about someone else entirely.

The biggest example happened when an entire castle lifted several feet off the ground before gently settling back into exactly the same place.

Apparently I did that; I honestly remember very little of it. Sometimes these gifts seem to know what is needed before I do.

So let me clear up one rumor before somebody starts drawing comic books.

No, I cannot fly.

No, I am not Wonder Woman.

No, I do not leap over buildings.

And absolutely no, I have never flown around wearing a cape.

First of all, capes would get caught on branches, and that sounds terribly inconvenient.

Second...Karl says I trip over perfectly flat floors often enough without trying to fly, and sadly...he is correct again...

I really am beginning to dislike how often he is right.

There is only one more gift that belongs only to me, and I already know some of the ladies reading this are probably rolling their eyes at me and saying, "Oh sure, Julie." Believe me, I would probably do the exact same thing if someone else were telling me this story. But I promised from the very beginning that I would tell you the truth as Karl and I have lived it, whether it sounded wonderful, strange, impossible, or downright silly. So here goes.

This last gift is one I never asked for, never expected, and honestly did not even notice for quite a while because you never really notice something that simply becomes your normal.

I will still grow older.

I will still have birthdays.

I will still laugh too hard and probably get little smile lines because Karl says I smile with my whole face instead of just my mouth.

But I will never wrinkle.

I will never fade.

My hair will never lose its color.

My face will always remain as it was meant to be.

Now, before anyone throws this paper across the room, remember something very important.

Beauty was never something I chased.

If you have read Karl's books, you already know that.

If beauty alone mattered, Karl and I probably never would have become Karl and Julie in the first place.

I looked inside him.

He looked inside me.

Everything else was simply wrapping paper.

Pretty wrapping paper is wonderful.

The gift inside is what lasts.

Karl actually had the chance to see my mom many years after she passed from this world. He told me she looked exactly as though she had simply stepped into another room twenty years earlier and never aged a single day.

That story made me cry.

Not because of the gift.

Because for just a few minutes I could picture her exactly as I remembered her.

Smiling.

Laughing.

Calling me "Jungle Julie."

Telling me another impossible puzzle was about to become my favorite game.

That memory alone is worth more to me than never needing makeup.

Although...I will admit...never worrying about makeup is kind of nice.

Karl always tells me I am prettiest first thing in the morning before I have done a single thing except smile at him. Well, usually smile; sometimes I am still half asleep and probably look more like an owl wondering why the sun came up so early.

He still says I am beautiful.

I think that says much more about Karl than it does about me.

One thing I have learned through all of this is that every gift has people looking at it from the outside, wishing they had it.

But they are only seeing one side.

They do not see the responsibilities.

They do not see the fear.

They do not see the lonely nights wondering whether you made the right choice.

They only see the shiny parts.

That is true for almost everything in life.

If you only ever look at the outside of another person's life, you will almost always believe they have it easier than you do.

Trust me.

They probably do not.

Everybody carries something.

Some people simply carry it more quietly than others.

That is why I try very hard not to judge anyone anymore.

I have met kings who were terrified.

Children who were fearless.

People with almost nothing who gave away everything they had.

And people with everything who still believed they owned nothing.

Life has a funny way of surprising you if you let it.

So if there is one thing I hope you carry away from this little paper, it is not that Julie has strange powers.

It is not that Angels exist.

It is not even that Karl somehow managed to fall in love with a girl who gets distracted by puzzles, flowers, rabbits, old books, mysterious doors, and shiny rocks all in the same afternoon.

Although...I still think he deserves some kind of award for that. No. The lesson I hope stays with you is much simpler. The greatest things about me were never the gifts. The greatest things were the lessons that came before them.

Learning to see what others missed. Learning to care. Learning to ask why rather than simply accept what everyone else believed. Learning to love someone completely. Those are the real powers.

Everything else is just equipment.

So my future sleuths, I truly am sorry that, unlike the lessons in the other papers, these gifts cannot simply be learned by practicing every day. They were given, not earned, and I know that may feel a little unfair. But please do not let that disappoint you, because every one of you has something that no one else in the world has. Maybe yours is kindness. Maybe it is courage. Maybe you make people laugh when they think they never will again. Maybe you see beauty where everyone else walks right past it. Maybe you solve puzzles differently than anyone before you. Whatever it is, treasure it. Grow it. Share it. The world has enough people trying to become someone else. It desperately needs more people willing to become the very best version of themselves.

So thank you, my new sleuths, for sitting with me while I shared one of the strangest parts of my life. I promise the next paper will be a little different because I finally get to talk about my favorite subject in the whole wide world.

My Karl. Not just what he can do. But who he is. And what his powers are, as well as our powers together. Because if you understand my Karl, you will understand why none of these gifts have ever been the greatest blessing I have received.

That honor has always belonged to the man waiting for me at the end of every adventure with a smile, an open pair of arms, and usually a brand-new mystery for us to solve together.

Now scoot along, my little sleuths. Go make someone smile today. You never know. That tiny choice might become the beginning of someone else's greatest adventure. Toodles for Now~!

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