I don’t believe in magic. Not in the traditional sense at least. The whole now you see me, now you don’t idea? What fun is that anyway? But I will never forget the day I discovered a different kind of magic.
To the rest of the world it was Halloween. To me, it was Jo’s eighth birthday. That’s all that mattered. I had been living with her and the man with the leather belt for a few months, and had seen my fair share of things I still wish I hadn’t. But this was a day to remember for all the right reasons.
This was the one time I ever witnessed Jo and the man with the leather belt happy at the same time. I was surprised he remembered the day at all, since he was usually pretty forgetful about basic things like having anything besides frozen pizza and beer in the fridge. But alas, he surprised us both. After dinner (he actually cooked something), he got out a pink cupcake with a single candle on it and sang happy birthday to her. I sat by her side, proud and humbled to share in such a special moment. Then he gave her a present. It wasn’t wrapped (it was still in the Toys ‘R Us bag) but that was beside the point.
It was magic. Literally. He gave her a 100-peice magic set. “I had one when I was about your age, so I thought maybe you’d like it,” he told her. She loved it. They spent the next few hours experimenting and doing something I’d never seen them to before. They laughed together.
That was the real magic. Magic is in moments like these. Moments brought to life by a power within us to believe. “Magic flows through us,” Sarah Ban Breathnach writes in Simple Abundance, “mystery infuses every encounter of every day…You have no idea of the countless lives you touch in the course of a lifetime.”
My life was touched that day by something special. I may not believe in the hocus pocus kind of magic, but that day I became a believer in a whole other kind of magic entirely. I became a believer that the power is within us to live this magic in our daily lives. To find and embrace moments of pure joy is a magic all its own.
Wiley's Wisdom 
Happy birthday sweetie. 🙂 a very touching post.
Aw, thank you.
Wyles, October has been a spectacular writing month for you – you just keep hitting it out of the park – dog park or baseball! And, I heard you just passed 1000 followers! Wolf, wolf, wolf – it could not happen to a better blogger! Well done, Wyles!
Oh my goodness – I love the dog park. And baseball! Well, when I watch baseball on TV I don’t like when the people swing bats…but that’s a whole other story. Thank you for your kind words, and continued support! It means a lot to the whole Schmidt family! 🙂
Very true. You are so wise, popping by your blog always cheers me up!
Dear friend,
You know that is my goal in life – to cheer people up. That’s what joy (from the ground up) is all about! 🙂
Lots of love to you,
Wiles
That was really a magic post! That’s the magic I believe too!
Do you believe in magic? I do! 🙂
Good eye, Wiles. Joy is magic. For sure. That makes you a magician!! 🙂
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Me? A magician? Clearly I went as the wrong thing for Halloween. 😉
Lots of love,
Wiles
Reblogged this on Wiley's Wisdom and commented:
Sometimes it really is the simplest things that bring the sincerest joy.