We all want magic in our life. We want things to miraculously happen. We want change to be bestowed upon us by the whoosh of a hand or the drop of a hat. This past month, magic came to visit me multiple times, unannounced by simply showing up and making my heart sing.
It started in a place that I know to be magical called Creative Visions. Creative Visions is run by goddesses whose magical power is in their beautiful intentions, their support, and their faith in people doing the work. Did I mention love?
Oh, so much love.
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending an event there. At the end of the event, totally unplanned, they gave a former student of mine who was there with me a platform to be seen and heard. What can I say?
It was magic. As I was leaving the event, I was thinking that magic happens when you have an open heart. Magic happens not when someone else does something for you, but when you are an active part of the spell.
Magic is connected to faith and being open to taking a chance.
It also became clear to me that day that vulnerability and magic are best friends. When you open yourself and are vulnerable, that is usually when magic shows up to save the day.
The month has been filled with culminations at all of our sites.
To say it was magical would belittle the courage and beauty of our students.
It wouldn’t or couldn't come close to describing the magic of the kid who had never participated previously and who read an amazing, very personal poem about himself. Or the flash mob where the girls danced in the middle of the show, or the Spanish-speaking English learners doing an improv scene in English.
And Probation not only did everything we asked for but then they did some more by decorating the gym and blowing up balloons.
I could go on and on. There was fierce magic in every one of these culminations. Then again, for me, theater is always magic.
“Sometimes when I was locked up, Ms., I’d think me I need some magic to get out of that fucking hole,” a student once told me. “I would dream of a lady who would come and get my ass out of there. I kept thinking of this. I’d pray for a miracle to make dem bars go away.” He became quiet.
“Years I kept thinking about the magic. Then I did the work, I connected to my faith and I used the time to do better, be better. I made the magic, Ms. Me and God. We made the magic happen.” It got very quiet in the room.
“You were horny, Man. That’s why you were dreaming of some magic lady.”
Everyone laughed.
“You are magic,” I said.
“Me and God, Ms. Me and God,” he said.
My students’ faith in God never ceases to amaze me and humble me at the same time.
This past week I dropped one of my daughters off in Yosemite. She is going on a two-week adventure there. After we said goodbye and she was off with the group, I took a few hours to walk around the park. I truly think nature is God’s magic. It is here to remind us every day that the impossible can be possible.
I took in the breathtaking nature around me.
I hiked up to a waterfall and somehow ended up on the path to the chapel.
The chapel was locked. I sat on the stairs and just looked out to the spectacular Yosemite Mountains. I sat for a while thinking about the magic of this month.
I took a long, deep breath.
There is a lot of work to do. So much magic to create.
I close my eyes. I breathe in the sweet smell of nature and I pray.
I pray for the magic.
I pray for strength.
I pray for the magic of faith when there is no reason to believe.
I pray for optimism because you have to be optimistic to believe in magic.
I think of W.B. Yeats who so wisely said, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
I sharpen my senses and take in all the magic around me.
