With my foot on the gas pedal, I thought to myself, “where am I going?” It’s almost as if I then looked at myself with an enticing smirk and said “you just wait and see.”
Before I knew it I was taking myself on a spontaneous date. I landed at the shore’s edge with a private showing of an absolutely stunning sky. I walked on the sand around the edge of the water, filling up with pure bliss inside.
I felt an extremely deep sense of awe and joy, a feeling so powerful that I felt like it was tangible. A feeling so potent, that I wish I could reach out and bottle it up.
Do you know the scene in many movies, when a villain flees dramatically after accomplishing their evil agenda? They usually praise themselves with evil laughter and in their glory, they might exclaim, “I did it!”
I can relate to that. As I left this place, I felt I had achieved something great, and no one knew about it. I didn’t even have an accomplice. Relishing in my independent happiness, I felt so powerful, but in the best way possible.
The evening prior, I had conjured up the same feeling while visiting a nearby park. That night I spent a lot of time listening, to my shoes crunch against the gravel, to the orchestra of singing crickets, and to the small waves kissing the rocks onshore. Most of all, I listened to myself and my thoughts.
After exploring my mind and the space around me, I ran to the pier to catch a front-row view of the sunset. I ran like no one was watching—and I truly don’t think anyone was watching, but that’s not really the point. I ran because it felt right because I wanted to. I felt like a kid prancing around.
I really think the magic lies in the little things. I know that might sound like a phrase that is stitched on a pillow or written in pastel type on an Instagram feed graphic. Despite being aware of the cliché connotation, I truly feel the magic in small moments.
The best part is that it’s right at your fingertips. Not literally like in movies where sparkles pour out of someone’s index finger when they cast a spell, but it is readily available. You don’t have to fight off dragons or goblins (unless we’re metaphorically speaking about overcoming personal obstacles). This kind of magic is often hidden in plain sight, or at the end of the road less traveled, but the only required ingredient in this magic potion is you.
Don’t get me wrong, these moments of magic are often just that, moments. The seams between these magical moments are often filled with contrasting feelings and thoughts.
They are interlaced with moments of feeling uninspired or just downright sad. Even times of basic contentment offer a stark contrast to the enchanting feeling I described because their anticlimactic nature is so easy to glaze over.
I guess this juxtaposition is what really makes the magic stand out. It makes it more coveted and appreciated. These moments are truly magical because they are rare. It’s the kind of self-manufactured happiness that people fantasize about. It’s taking the opportunity to sculpt an ordinary moment into a masterpiece, to truly romanticize the mundane. It’s a reckless, in-the-moment, soul-on-fire feeling that you can remarkably gift to yourself.
Do you believe in magic?
