Sunday, October 10, 2010

Do You Believe in Magic?


"Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

I have often sat wondering about when I made the change between the way a child thinks and the way an adult does. At some point in time, my way of thinking matured.

Perhaps it's when I first discovered that Santa Claus wasn't real, that the present that were found each Christmas morning were placed their lovingly by my parents. I had often wondered when I noticed the subtle changes, the wrapping paper was the same as what we were using that year, the signatures and writing on the gift tags were in my mom's unique writing style and not to mention the year while playing hide and seek in my mom's room I stumbled into the far back end of her closet and found bags of what would soon be me and my brothers Christmas presents that year.

Yet I said nothing except to my brother of the treasured discovery in the depths of my mother's closet that year. We took everything out and looked it over with smiles but then something changed.

Even though we used to sleep with anticipation of what would await us that morning, when it came I was no longer surprised. Those same toys we discovered were the ones wrapped in Christmas paper with our names and signed by Santa. Magic gone.

I used to believe in all kinds of child-like magic. I believe that Mary Poppins really could stuff all that stuff in her carpet bag and when she opened her umbrella she could fly away. That is until I tried to fly with my own umbrella and jumping off the roof. I plummeted to the grass below off a single story home and thankfully wasn't hurt.

I believed in fairies in the garden and in the tooth fairy and Easter bunny. I believed in pots of gold if only you could find the end of the rainbow before it faded away.

I believed in magic, real magic that there wasn't some trick behind it all. And once the secrets are discovered perhaps that is when we grow into adults. When we take on responsibilities and stresses that come with growing older.

We forget to do things like playing in the puddles when it rains, getting soaked to the skin only to come inside to a warm cup of hot chocolate and some chicken noodle soup. We forget to play in the waves at the beach and try to jump each wave that laps at the sandy shore. We forget to have snow ball fights and rush out to make the first snowman when it snows enough to make such things possible.

Like the quote above I think we tend to grow older when we forget to play. Who said that adults can do this stuff any longer. Who said we can't call in sick just to enjoy a summer day and go fishing, or on a dark night in a star-filled sky, wish upon a falling star and believing with all your heart it will come true.

I think we all need to remember that simple child like faith in believing in things unseen. God calls us to be like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven and perhaps this is a great way to start. So what are you going to do today?

11 comments:

Warren Baldwin said...

Pretty cool post, Kat. There is a kind of magic in dreams. Probably we lost that sense of wonder when so many of our childhood dreams disappoint us or turn out differently than we supposed. But we do need to hold onto that sense of magic. We are for tomorrow; our high school daughter is in regional golf!

Saleslady371 said...

Great message. Makes me think of yesterday after work when my hubby picked me up at the office and took me to the town carnival. This is the second time this year we enjoyed such a thing.

Anonymous said...

Nice post Kat. Im' going to have to chew on that last sentence!

Blessings! -Joe

sunny smiles said...

Good reminder to take time to have some fun! For me it was going to a pow wow on Friday evening. I've had a dancers heart since I was very young so for me to watch dancers just takes me away.. (:

Rita said...

Wow, Kat, what a post. As we grow older, we forget to dream, we forget to believe in magic and we forget to have that childlike dependance on God. As we grow older, we put away "childish" things and take on new responsibilites as we should, but we forget to play, as you said and that play is what makes a difference in life. The saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." I don't want to be dull!

NanaNor's said...

Hi sweet friend, I loved this-so very true for all of us but I've discovered so much joy having grandkids and it brings out the child in me. I've missed visiting but think of you daily. Loved your post from yesterday too.
Hugs and blessings.
Noreen

Debby@Just Breathe said...

My brother and I were just talking about this. I need to play like a kid again!

Dena E's Blog said...

Hello Gorgeous,,,I'm a day late but want you to know how much your note s mean to me each time I read one.. You're a JOY from the LORD Sweet Sis!!! Great post on a blessed writer...
Blessings through Him~~~Hugs Dena

Denise said...

Wonderful message sis.

Girly Muse said...

Love this post. I so wish I could play easily, but it takes work for me now. Makes me sad. I do believe in magic. Thanks for the wonderful shaking to remind me. ;)

Dena E's Blog said...

Again your post,, in reading it once more,, is sooo wonderful Sweetie..
Thanks for my note again and i soooo love you Sis and the way you share about Jesus with all of us!!!
May the light of Our Savior shine through you with blessings from above as you follow God with love~~~Hugs Dena