As I write this to you, it's more than an hour before sunrise. In one of my favorite mugs is a fresh cup of coffee - an unusual second cup that hints at the fact that I've been up since 4:30 this morning since I woke thinking of you and finishing this love note.

The house is almost silent save for the light strains of Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 playing in the background. It's from my favorite playlist from Calm - Classical Piano. This simple, ordinary moment was so perfect and magical for me, I stopped to snap a photo to share with you in the newsletter. Messy desk and all. Because in this moment is exactly what I want to explore with you this month: seeing Magic in your life.




Now, I will share with you - because I value honesty - that the silence is something I've been craving all week. But, wow has been hard to come by!  Despite being an extrovert, I have found the beauty in quiet. Especially when I'm writing.

Though I have gotten accustomed to the household sounds of JB working from home as well, this week was a bit beyond our norm. The painters have been here tackling things on my "Honey Do" list and they spent part of two days working in the garage which is right above my office. Said garage contents - save our cars and the snow blower - are occupying the living room and entry hall, giving me big doses of visual noise anytime I am upstairs.

Adding to the cacophony of sound are nearby homes getting new roofs, the golf course doing their (seemingly daily) mowing, and the city replacing all the curbs at every sidewalk exit.

I share this not to complain, but to share a big dose of reality...because in the chaos has been both beauty. And yes, tangible magic.

If you need to see magic with your own eyes, change the paint color somewhere in your home. It transforms a space in moments, doesn't it?



There are so many small aspects of daily, ordinary life that invite us to notice the beauty and magic.

Especially this time of year. I need but walk outside and glory in sunbeams, cool breezes, and brilliant color in the landscape to witness it.

And tending to our lives to make ordinary days more pleasant is a form of magic we can each touch, too. From home-cooked meals to fresh sheets on the bed every Friday to knowing there's a warm blanket to throw across my legs as I read in a favorite chair.

But in order to see this ordinary as magic, I have to look for it. It means I need to slow down and truly observe what's right here before me.

It's so much easier to get lost the busyness of tending life to see it, isn't there? To stressing out over the chaos in the living room and lose sight of the freshly painted garage. Or to get lost in all the noise from the workers doing their jobs as part of making people's homes and community safer and more beautiful and miss how the roses are giving me one more showing of brilliance before we have our first freeze.

Because it's human nature to focus on the worries, the distractions, and the stresses, we have to be reminded to look for what's shining through and underneath it all.

To make space for the magic of life.




Though my first exposure to the idea of magic came from fairy tales, what I believe in most deeply is that there is magic to be discovered in the everyday living.

We simply need to look for it, seek it, and choose to actively make every day magic a priority.

We can do this by attending to the details of our lives. To carefully plate your dinner so it’s pleasing to the eyes as it nourishes your body. To use a special mug for your morning coffee. Especially over the use of throwaway paper cups. To take an additional five minutes to sit at the table and eat your breakfast rather than eat it at your desk.

I’ve learned that doing these things creates a sense of magic. I can begin the moment feeling frustrated, irritable, or cranky and end it feeling more centered.  The choice to be mindful and the extra minute or two that it takes to do so captures a bit of magic.
You may be wondering what "magic" has to do with the progression of what we've been talking about all year - especially as a follow up to Commitment and Devotion to ushering one goal into being before the end of the year. And frankly, it has everything to do with it.

Because without finding magic in your ordinary, daily life? How are you going to truly enjoy the fruits of your labors when you reach a goal?

Just like you need to commit to your goals and be devoted to your deepest desires, you need to bear witness to what already exists.

And how the magic of simple life is actually a holy helper and companion for the journey.

That means sometimes we simply need to make a magical moment for ourselves. Solely for the sake of pleasure and feeding out soul. Because feeding our soul helps us get back to work when we're tired, exhausted, overwhelmed, or burned out.



Because while the recent times have taught many women (and men) the value of slowing down to the speed of your own soul, there are a lot of folks out there that still equate being busy with worthiness.  Sometimes, the only way to stop that shift into hustle mode is to find a tangible reason to slow down and seek the magic.

I was reminded of this earlier this year when I took a photography class with some friends. Part of the tuition for the class was for a nifty instant camera. And to be honest, it kind of intimidated me.

Because I've become so used to the ease of using my phone's camera for taking photos of simply anything and everything. The cameras in our phones are pretty sophisticated. And even without real knowledge of light, aperture, and other such photography jargon, most of us can take decent photos.

And, if you regularly move your photos to your computer or the cloud, you have an endless amount of "film", too. Which means that I can snap ten photos of something and know that I'll have at least one I like.

But each roll of the instant film has only 10 exposures. Just ten in comparison to endless opportunities that digital provides. And despite having some various settings and a flash (which the teacher said we should never, ever use) how a photo turns out relies on a lot of factors - like the aforementioned light and aperture and such.

After talking with a dear friend about it, she encouraged me to approach using this camera under the guise of pursuing magic. Because while we have gotten spoiled to how digital photography shows us crisp reality, using film - especially instant film - captures something that looks like a memory.

Rather than treating the film as something precious to be conserved, I am treating it like I do my best perfume: with reckless abandon.



So, about once a week I am taking the camera with me as I do errands and allowing the camera to reveal the magic in the mundane.

I'm also learning that I'm having to let go of any sense of perfection. Because no matter how carefully I frame a shot, shoot only on bright days, and check the settings, instant film is a bit finicky.

So, in seeking the magic in my ordinary days, I am also learning how to let go the need for picture-perfect (pun intended) perfection.

Though our lives may not be filled with the magic of fairy tales I hope that you can see that it exists all around you.

My invitation to you this month is to seek the magic in your daily life that already exists. To find ways to make your life  more magical in the way you tend your world. And to be an active participant in creating some sort of magical moment.

As children, we were often able to see the magic in everyday living. We laughed, found pleasure in sitting in someone's lap, let the grass tickle between our toes, and sought play in any environment.

To access magic, you may need to go back to traits from childhood. For me that included an insatiable curiosity, a desire to explore, and the want to experience what the world has to offer.



So, as our days grow shorter, embrace the darkness by lighting a candle. Plan a trip for the sake of adventure and new experiences.


Sit by the fireplace with a warm beverage (or glass of wine). Get lost in the way a book transports you to wonderful places and different times. Actively look for beauty as you run errands. Witness the spark of joy in someone else's eyes.

And make a practice of regularly tending your soul in a creative pursuit such as photography or painting - even if you aren't great at it.

 

If you'd like to read the October 2021 love note in full, you can do so here.

And, if you'd like to receive my Monthly Love Note, sign up here.
Here's to remembering that no matter how challenging the world may seem, you are surrounded by beauty in the ordinary. Because within you is a spark of magic.