Blarney, Co. Cork, Ireland—Sometime in the 1980’s – a ’20-something Irish mother settles down with her husband and two young children to watch a weekly TV show called “Hotel” starring James Brolin and Connie Sellecca. The hotel is the “St. Gregory Hotel,” and every week through the doors of the St. Gregory come 5 or 6 people who are warmly welcomed by the manager, Peter McDermott, and his assistant, Christine Francis. Over the course of the hour, viewers watch Christine and Peter as they get to know these guests, their immediate problems or dilemmas, and become good friends with them.
By the end of the show, the guests leave the St. Gregory happier than when they arrived, and most often than not, their dilemma has been sorted (thanks to the ingenuity and guidance of Peter and Christine). Little did the Irish mother think then that, as a result of watching this TV show, one day she would have her own Egyptian version of St. Gregory and take the place of Christine, welcoming her guests.
And that, my friends, is just one example of what happens when you focus on anything. That Irish mother was me, and I never, ever had the slightest desire, idea, or intention of owning or running a hotel anywhere in the world, let alone Egypt!
Like Christine and Peter, I love getting to know my guests, their interests, and their stories. I especially like it when they leave Mara House with information they did not bargain on getting when they chose us, and sometimes, just sometimes, I know that in sharing my own stories of Egypt I have helped broaden their horizons and maybe even re-introduce them to a little of the magic they believed in as children! For, I believe in magic too!
Looking back, I think the TV show planted the seed. The Law of Attraction says we draw to ourselves what we focus on, dream about, and give our attention to. Perhaps that weekly hour in front of the television was my quiet rehearsal.
Today, Mara House has grown beyond accommodation — I also arrange guided Egypt tours that open the doors of ancient temples, hidden tombs, and even the stories locals share over tea. I still love most of all when a guest leaves with a spark of the magic I believe in — the magic that first drew me here, and keeps me here.
So, tell me… what TV shows are you watching? You never know where they might lead you.