Tell Us a Story!

When Lindsay Volle was growing up in early-90s Phoenix, her dad would wake her up early once a month for what they called Donut Patrol. “We would drive down to the local donut shop,” Volle remembers, “and buy anywhere from three to seven dozen from a local shop where they packaged donuts in beautiful bright pink boxes. Then we’d drive to friends' houses and leave a box on their doorsteps. I would get to ring the doorbell and run -- like ding-dong ditch but with breakfast. We didn’t leave a note or anything, so first-time recipients wouldn’t necessarily know who brought them. That was so exciting to me! My dad understood that because my dad understood fun. Donuts are fun. Surprises are fun. Surprise donuts? Extra fun.”

Lindsay’s ritual is one of many stories on Like Magic (and on Instagram @this.is.like.magic), a project I’ve launched with Jenny Rosentrach, of Dinner a Love Story, dedicated to seeking out the amazingly creative ways people find to connect with their neighbors, their children, their parents, grandparents, histories, communities, with something spiritual and mysterious that, **Like Magic **, infuses their days with meaning and goodness.

Another example: My husband Fred and I are in charge of dessert whenever his sister invites us over to dinner. She lives right near a Carvel, so it became a tradition to swing by and pick up an ice cream cake then have the poor unassuming, decidedly confused staffer pipe out some random message across the icing like this one above, my favorite. We do it all the time now. Happy Wednesday! You’re a Good Friend. Have a Great Day! If you think of a store-bought cake as a notecard instead of a dessert, the possibilities are endless!

We want to know how people celebrate the big occasions and -- more importantly -- the little ones. Please follow along at @this.is.like.magic and share your ideas with us at This Is Like Magic.