Like most things in life, people either like, hate or are ambivalent about magic. The term covers a range of things, from Houdini and David Copperfield to pumpkins turning into carriages, from clowns piling out of a small car to wishing on a star, from Harry Potter and heroes with super powers to the first snowfall of the season. Magic has to do with illusion, and that's where we are all magicians. We live under many illusions, the biggest one being that we are in control.
For a while, we can maintain the illusion that we can conquer our to-do lists, manage conflicting relationships, handle aging, meet that life goal. We come to believe that with enough money, we can be happy. With enough self discipline, we can lose those 10 pounds. With enough love, we can change someone. With enough charm, others won't see the insecurities and fears under the surface. With enough power, we can do whatever we want no matter the consequences to others and, since magic is also about misdirection, with enough of that, we believe no one will catch what we are really doing.
We take comfort when we can say that something 'outside of our control' is responsible. It's great to be able to point fingers at the weather, traffic or someone else missing a deadline. We get so used to things as they are or, more likely, as we believe them to be, that we are surprised when life intervenes with something that forces us to change direction and acknowledge that our control is fleeting at best and, at worst, nonexistent. When everything seems out of control, we are reminded that the only thing really under our control, in every aspect of our lives, is our ability to make wise decisions. It would truly be magic if I could remember that more often.
Marilyn
Have you been buffeted particularly of late?
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