The Point of Wonder
Let’s face it, life asks us to maneuver through all kinds of things, some really wonderful and some extremely hard. There’s love, new beginnings, connection, and then there’s illness, chronic pain, grief, loss. And on top of all of that, things are happening so fast in the outside world, and too much of it is not good. There is so much to keep up with and a lot to worry about.
So why, in the middle of all of that, would I ask someone to pick a card or think of a famous person so I can read their mind?
When I perform, I usually have no idea what is going on inside the people I’m performing for. I don’t know what happened to them that day, where they just came from, what they’re worried about, or what joys and struggles they’re carrying with them into the room.
But then the magic happens.
They laugh. They’re surprised. They have a whole lot of “WTF?” moments. They become completely absorbed in something playful and inspiring and seemingly impossible. And because I can often overthink things, sometimes I wonder: Is this all pointless? Maybe for some people it is.
I remember when I first really dove into magic. I was performing walk-around magic at Juanita’s in Boulder. Remember that place? Sometimes I would walk up to a table and they would say, “We’re not interested,” or “Magic is against our religion.” And I could actually feel the heaviness at those tables compared to the lightness and joy at the tables where I performed. And that’s totally fine. They weren’t interested. They don’t have to be.
But I think for most people, magic shows (well, at least my magic shows!) aren’t simply about escaping life. They’re about ENGAGING with life.
For a little while, audiences get to be curious and surprised. They get to let themselves be moved and begin to pay a little more attention. “Wait,” they might say, “if I just watch closer and don’t take my eyes off this, I will definitely figure out how she did it.”
Whether you’re someone who watches magic and lets yourself be completely awed like a child, or you’re one of those people who is determined to figure it out, it all makes you curious. It wakes you up. It takes you into a sort of altered universe where, for a little while, anything seems possible.
Personally, during these challenging times, I think we need more of that. What makes you feel the most alive? What inspires wonder in you?
Go after that.
Why not fill your days with more magic and activities that make you feel alive? Laugh. Spend time outside. Do something different. Open your mind. Have a beautiful dinner. Be silly. See the show. You don’t have to wait until life is perfectly awesome to enjoy your life.
Life is hard, yes. But it also gives us sunsets, music, good food, laughter, people we love, dogs, cats and pigs, and those little moments that make us stop and think, wow. Joy is not a waste. To me, wonder is everything.
I am honored that you read this blog post and i hope it will inspire more magic in you life… even if it is only 1% more magic, i take that as a win!
Please let me know if I can bring some of this wonder, laughter, and fun to you and your peeps. It is one of the things I live for.