“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” Arthur C. Clarke. Magic is generally defined as a supernatural force that exerts influence over the natural world. As children, the things that invoked awe and wonder were indeed magic – until we became schooled in the ways of being a good follower and told what and how to believe. Magic became a pejorative, shaming us for believing in small wonders.

There was a time when everything was new and amazing. Dashing out into your first newly fallen snow of winter, summer’s inchworms dropping on their silken lines; putting birdseed on the sill to see who shows up; balancing on two wheels and feeling freedom; tasting sweet honey blossoms on the vine along the train tracks, face stained with wild blackberries down at the reservoir; green leaves changing to gold, red, and brown in fall – and collecting them in case their beauty was a one-time thing. We saw everything through our heart.

It is said that one must become like a child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven— to face the world without pre-judging anything I encounter. With perfect innocence, everything is pregnant with possibility, hope and beauty. Carrying that outlook through life is heaven — maybe we can learn it from our children.

Science will never fully explain our experience because wonder, awe, magic, and mystery are baked-in to the system — most of us just don’t understand it yet. Will we ever fully unravel the mysteries of the atom or the black hole? How about our own human body? I know from years working in hospitals with the drug companies that medical science is a vast crapshoot of guesses.

Our Mother Earth is worth protecting because she is full of - and part of – the magic and wonder. Everything we need to THRIVE and to uplift each other is all around us. Mother Earth is the non-profit that provides water, air, food, shelter and medicine.

• Magic is the advanced “technology” that shaped and moved 100-ton stones in the

ancient past.

• Magic lies within the fruits, vegetables and herbs that can heal us. Yes to celery juice!

• Magic is what happens when we practice Forgiveness.

Magic is the ability to start today with a new intention - to leave behind everything that no longer works like self-doubt, fear, shame, regret and unworthiness. INTEND TO be worthy, love ferociously, live courageously, question everything, keep your mind open to new possibilities, to release pre-judgements…what else can you leave behind?

Magic, Awe and Wonder are your birthright. Don’t let anyone or anything convince you that you are small and hopeless. You are powerful and more important than you know. You have something valuable to offer the world. And Life Loves you back!!