The Power of Magical Moments

I can think of no better approach to living a fulfilling and meaningful life than to develop the habit of looking for the true magic that lies ever-present all around us—and within us—in each and every moment of each and every day.

Occasionally we’re surprised by a magical moment. It’s when the joyful, uninhibited giggling of a three-year-old goes right to our heart—or when an unusually beautiful sunrise takes our breath away. But if we’re willing to look, these magical moments are waiting to be discovered in EVERY situation.

Every moment is a miracle, and to the degree that we forget this simple fact, we lose ourselves in mediocrity, conflict, and suffering. Even painful circumstances inevitably hold within them a hidden magic with the potential to transform and uplift in ways we might never have imagined in our more unconscious hours.

Pain is a natural aspect of life, but suffering is a choice, albeit often an unconscious one.

By choosing to be aware of the magic of the moment, we break free from the prison of fear, resentment, regret, hatred, and hostility. And we liberate ourselves to a world of wonder, joy, inspiration, gratitude, and compassion.

As we practice the discipline of making this simple choice in any given moment, we leave behind both the guilt and resentment of the past as well as the anxiety and worry over an anticipated future. We then live in the power and wonder of the PRESENT MOMENT—where the true magic always resides.

As we pay attention to the magic inherent in outer circumstances, we experience both the peace and gratitude of acceptance as well as the power and insight to transform situations where we deem it appropriate and useful.

As we pay attention to the magic inherent in other people, where we once saw fault, threat, offense, and irreparable differences, we now see innocence, beauty, humanity, and common ground, enabling us to offer aid and to connect sincerely with compassion and respect.

As we pay attention to the magic inherent in ourselves, we discover our previously unimagined, untapped potential and our capacity to effect others in simple but profound ways.

In our hectic modern-world struggle to get ahead, it’s far too easy to dismiss the search for magic as a possibly pleasant but nonetheless impractical triviality with no real lasting value. In reality, awareness of the magical may be the most rational and practical choice we can make.

In reality, the choice of openness to the magic of the moment evokes a clarity of thought and purpose which allows for far more effective and meaningful decisions and actions than are possible from our normal perspective of “have-to’s” and “can’t’s”. This is the world of inspiration, aspiration, and certainty of purpose. It’s the world where we begin to realize our true potential rather than remaining enmeshed in the mediocrity of self-imposed limitation.

In each moment, the choice is ours—for the magical, or for the mundane. What will your choice be?