There’s magic in the air every morning at the Woodyard household. The bold scent of freshly brewed coffee permeates the air rousing the waking residents with its warm embrace. With the loving aroma it communicates the connection between best wishes for a joy-filled day of meeting obstacles with the embedded “I can do it!” attitude that’s been sculpted into their being since the day they were born. Our no longer children, but now young adults, rise from their beds. They stagger into the kitchen along with their mother after each impatiently growling at one another seemingly to flex dominance over the right to first use of the one bathroom that serves six in our quaint dwelling. The grumbles turn into deep inhales of the aromatic blend, with closed eyes, one by one scrunched faces turn to relaxed and satisfied smiles. Each with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders shuffles into the sunporch that would normally be too cold to inhabit. They experience the warmth of the magic fire and its flickering dance. This welcome to the new day is a mere glimmer before the sun peaks over the horizon to greet with the beautiful newness which is recreated for them each and every morning.
If you look around in your own life you are sure to find things that seem to occur magically on a regular basis as well. Much of the time the magic goes unnoticed. Unfortunately, so many of us take these things for granted. It may not even seem like magic to us if we try to look for it, yet when it’s not there…we recognize it instantly. Our day is thrown out of whack, our routine is disrupted, the very flow and even the rotation of the earth seems misaligned. Some may even have the audacity to curse the very one who brings this magic to life and ridicule them for ruining our day. What’s worse is when those who bring the magic reinforce such an outburst with a profuse apology almost guilted into action to create what others see as magic when it is truly a gift. This gift, is a gift given without expectation of reciprocation, but out of sheer motivation of love.
I discovered the magic myself one fateful morning. Sick with the flu, haunched over the toilet, with one more empty heave triggered by the stench of the toilet I thought, “this toilet is disgusting!” I leaned over grabbed the toilet brush and cleaner then proceeded to clean the toilet. Smelling the freshness of the cleaner I began to smile with short lived pride. Suddenly, guilt turned my smile into what I can only imagine was a dumfounded look as the realization set in that in, what then was twenty years of marriage…I had not once cleaned the toilet. The toilet that served our growing household of three girls and three boys whose aim is questionable at best, myself included. Twenty years of magic that I took for granted and just expected to occur.
When I shared my revelation with my wife, she smiled and reassured me there were tons of things I do all the time and how it isn’t until I go away for a business trip that she realizes how much I do for the household. In fact, I was even praised as she shared how she has friends whose lives get easier when their husbands are gone. I took this opportunity to thank her both for the magic she brings to our home and for acknowledging the magic she identified in me. She further said I evidently always say things like, “Wow, the bathroom looks nice.” or, “smells like somebody has been cleaning.” I’m not sure if I ever added, “Thank you, sweetheart!”, but I was sure I would now.
It’s not hard to see and it doesn’t take even a second to pause and look for the magic that you benefit from on a daily basis. Nor does it take much to look the magician in the eye and thank them for the magic they bring to your life. For what ever reason we don’t seem to slow down enough to take this added measure of acknowledgement and appreciation. Be the person in your loved ones lives who pulls back the curtain or reveals the trick. May you see the magic in your life and give your magicians the accolades they deserve.
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