Magic Is The Soul Of Things

I have been doing some mentoring of other writers. Each one was having trouble making their work well-formed and putting life or zing into it. When we applied the principle of magic to these works they seemed to be much easier to write. I told them that magic is the driving good in something and that seemed to help. Sometimes we feel down because we feel that we have not lived a purposeful life. But with everyone that I have worked with we have found consistent patterns of behavior that showed these people that they were actually being true to certain values all along, they just didn't realize it. A purposeful life is more satisfying than one of fame and notoriety. We are just finishing up Women's History Month. Women like Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton come to mind way before Lady Gaga. The first three accomplished great things and had a lasting legacy because they poured their heart and soul into their work. They were the judge of how well they were doing, not other people. So if you feel that you are lacking something in your life, look to your values. If you appreciate beauty make some beauty appear somewhere. My flower beds are blooming now because my daughter took the time last year to plant more bulbs. I appreciate the beauty every time I step outside. If you value good manners be a role model whenever you can. If will rub off on others. You are bringing magic into the world in little ways and that can lead to bigger things because goodness ripples outward. Remember, your soul is that part of you reaching out for good in your life. So make magic happen, express your soul's desires. May the spark be with you.

Life's Jigsaw Puzzle

Sometimes life seems to be a puzzle. That doesn't have to block us from succeeding however. Think of the way a jigsaw puzzle fits together just right and makes sense as you find the clues to help you fit things together. The magician's mind set can help you fit things together in your own life so it feels right and makes sense. Here are a few suggestions. Don't settle for the wrong piece in the wrong place. Don't try to force pieces where they don't fit. If you think you are missing a piece don't obsess
over it, go on to the pieces you do have. The missing piece might turn up later. Looking for the broad outlines first,like finding borders, will be helpful. Always remember that this is supposed to be fun. Tiny pieces go together to make up a pleasing whole. Every piece has some importance. Again, remember that this is supposed to be fun. Sometimes a piece is in the right place but you have to adjust it by turning it around. There is a relationship between pieces. There are a lot of clues you can find as to what fits where. You have to lift up your head every once in a while to take a broader view and look for new pieces. When the last piece fits in place it's a good idea to look it all over and enjoy the feeling of a job well done.
As you puzzle over the life you are crafting reach out for that spark of magic that will help you add a bit more enjoyment and satisfaction to it.

The Magic Of The Extra Embellishment

You can make yourself happy by looking for ways to express your individuality throughout the day. That will also make your relationships more fun. I served as a VISTA with a woman who would sign out for lunch with the note 'lunch & FA' We would go to lunch then spend some time trying to spread the word about our projects. We were actually giving up some of our lunch time to work. But labelling it FA (for fooling around) made it seem more like play than work. Another friend used to reply to the question, "How are you?" with "Fine as frog hair." No mundane 'fine' for him. Perhaps you already have done a lot to individualize your life. Give yourself a pat on the back for doing that. If you need to loosen up a bit, give yourself permission. Each time you do something like this you are celebrating life, whether you realize it or not. Note the good that has happened, no matter how small. If you pull yourself out of a funk, celebrate, that was a good thing to do. Every breath you take, every word you speak, every step you take is a good thing. There may be some terrible events, or even just irritating ones, in your day. But when you look over your day, to be fair, there will be more good than bad. Let yourself celebrate that from time to time. Let the spark of magic come into your life.