Thankful for the Magicians
Over the weekend I went for a run while listening to the Nike Run Club App. The coach encouraged us to “think of the magicians in our life.”
I do admit that I find the word magic is a bit overused these days.
And yet, what better word for the people in our life that transform the mundane into memorable moments?
On my run, I had some time to consider the magicians in my life.
I started out thinking about Meka, my sister’s German Shepherd who ran all 8 miles with me. My husband Drew found Meka on the edge of a lake while visiting some friends for Bryana’s baby shower. She was tiny, only a few weeks old, shivering, covered in ticks, and full of worms. Drew and I brought Meka home. Meka has lived with my sister Bonnie ever since. She’s genuinely the most amazing dog I’ve ever known.
My 96 year old Grandpa works hard to win favor with all his great-grandchildren. He plays tractors with my son. He does goofy little games to make them giggle. He is jolly and joyful. He shared a song he’s working on about a long-legged Rooster and a short-legged hen while we were eating Easter lunch.
My 95 year old Grandma hard-boiled two eggs and hid them in her playground for my children to find, a silly surprise during the egg hunt at the farm.
My sister McCayla made my daughter Eowyn some bracelets out of beads she’s had since she was 12. She customized the bracelets with the names of Eowyn’s dolls.
My Mom is busy making magic happen at all times. Anyone that’s ever met her understands what I mean.
Katrina and I made my Dad laugh until he cried about something funny that happened in the barn while we milked the cows together.
The farm has been the central fact of our family my entire life. The family farm has been there since 1873. The year is engraved on a wooden beam in our hay barn, the original barn my great-great-great Grandpa built that has been in use these past 152 years. A farm where I’ve made thousands of memories working alongside my sisters, parents, and grandparents.
The past six months of my life have been very difficult, and that’s why I’m paying attention to the good. I share all this to say, we cannot be grateful for everything.
When times are difficult, uncertain, overwhelming, and hard, it is more important than ever to hold on to the good.
That goodness, that mundane magic, when it avails itself to you, take note. Write it down. Hold onto it. These moments will hold you steady until the next moment comes.
Happiness can be elusive. Sometimes these magical moments feel omnipresent. Sometimes we have to look under a few rocks to find one.
I keep several “Good Things” notes in my phone. Things that delight me, funny moments with friends, good news in pop culture. The act of jotting down the moment helps me savor the memory. Like earlier this week when my 5-year-old son Oslo declared that “he’s probably old enough to watch the news now.”
So this week, I hope you too can find some gratitude for the magicians in your life. The ones who show up in big ways and small. The one who mails you a postcard or is always the first to call. The one that buys Girl Scout Cookies from your kids. The one that remembers your birthday or sends you songs they think you’ll like. Take it a step further and mail that person a thank you note. Make a plan to do something fun together. Maybe even plan to attend a yoga retreat together!
These little things – the notes, the jokes, the bracelets – are what keep us close. It is in these shared moments real magic is present.
Interested in a retreat with us?
Attend solo, or with someone special in your life!
