Dear Universe,
We get it. You work in mysterious ways.
With only 72 hours or so to spend Beijing, we were trying to see as many things as we could in our limited time, which brought us to the Shopping Street late on a Saturday night. The internet had promised us a lively street with food, neat shops, and little stands. So when we turned up to a street that looked more like Fifth Avenue, we were sorely disappointed.
Oh, and we were hungry. You know how we get when we’re hungry.
We walked for blocks without interest. What use did we have for Chanel or Gucci? But then, like an oasis in the desert, we saw a sign for:
BEIJING ENGLISH LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE
As bibliophiles, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to puruse a bookstore. With only minutes before closing, we stepped inside and meandered down an arbitrary aisle. I looked to my right and saw…
If that wasn’t a sign from you, we don’t know what is.
As you very well know, Universe, anyone who knew me before the age of 18 calls me Rosie and I inherited the last name of Hopkins from my father. Plus sweets? The British countryside?… um, HELLO!? This book, quite literally, had my name on it.
It had to come home with us. And it did.
Now this isn’t my normal book selection. Look through my Goodreads account and you’ll know I lean towards self-development books and Canadian women’s literary fiction. So I was surprised when I flew through it in only a week, loving every sugary-sweet moment of it.
And bonus! There is not one but TWO Christmas themed sequels to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop of Dreams. If you need me this December, find me curled up on the sofa with one of those.
So thanks, Universe, for sending this little piece of light my way. You always know just what I need.
xoxo,
Rose
P.S. Don’t tell anyone but Adam is reading it too.
To read Letters to the Universe #001: Valencia, click here.
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My mom and I had that same experience on our Viking River cruise several years back. One of the things the cruise itinerary highlighted for our stop in Cologne (besides the cathedral) was the shopping. We were so disappointed to find big box stores and other international brand names that we could find in any big city – New York, Paris, etc. I’m not a big shopper, but I do like a little lane of unique gift shops and boutiques. This was not it. Oh well. At least I didn’t spend any money.
How fun to find a book with your name on it… and one you ended up liking, too. That IS fat! 🙂
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I mean “fate.” Not fat. Fate. 🙂
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😂
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