Mundane Magic and the Art of Living Fully
If you take off the societally prescribed adult glasses, you’d see there is magic everywhere.
Last year, I went to see a play called Every Brilliant Thing (by playwrights Duncan Macmillan and Johnny Donahoe) and it was, well, it was brilliant. The play centres around the story of a child, now grown, who had begun a project of writing down every brilliant thing she witnessed each day in an effort to cheer up her clinically depressed mother. As she grows, this habit helps to carry her through her own dark times and remind her of all the reasons life is worth living.
As someone who experiences bouts of depression, I know how hard it can be to see the beauty in life during those dark times. A list of brilliant things, I could see the value in that. So I started making my own in the notes app of my phone:
Cuddles with my dog
Laying on the grass and watching the clouds drift by
A quiet cup of tea first thing in the morning
Old couples holding hands while on a walk
Baby laughter (laughter more generally, is an entry of its own)
Ice cream on a hot day
Watching the waves roll in from the shore
Dogs in sweaters
Tree swings
Finding the perfect song to suit a moment…
As you can see, brilliant things can be big or small, fleeting or something you can experience again and again. For me, if something brings a smile to my face, it goes on the list. If it strikes me as beautiful, it goes on the list. If it feels silly, in that child-like way, it goes on the list. If it fills me with a sense of awe or wonder, it goes on the list. If it makes me feel love, it goes on the list.
I don’t like to call them brilliant things though, I like to call it mundane magic. The rose is still a rose, but there’s something about acknowledging the magic in it all that resonates with me more. Something about acknowledging that even the smallest, most routine, most seemingly inconsequential and ordinary things in our lives can be made magical with just a little shift in perspective.
I think as kids, it’s easier to see the magic in the world. Everything is new, fresh, exciting. Kids are still connected to an innate sense of wonder and curiosity. They are more open minded and big hearted. They freely let themselves imagine and create.
As we grow, life gets a little more challenging, the demands and responsibilities start to pile up, and it can be easy to forget the magic in this world. That there is more to life than paying bills and dying. There’s more to life than just two week holidays to a resort once a year. More than the cubicle you spend eight hours a day in. More than job performance reviews. There’s more to life than simply getting by.
But if you can see the magic, you might start seeing the cracks in the system. You might start wanting more for yourself. And that’s dangerous. So they keep us busy, and small, and overwhelmed, and tired. They keep us burdened with responsibilities and expectations.
You are here to do more than exist. To drift through life. You are meant to love. To explore. To experience wonder. To laugh and to cry. To create. To thrive. You are meant to LIVE.
I can’t just run away from my adult responsibilities—I doubt you can either. But adulthood really isn’t all bad. I mean, having adult money is pretty cool. Getting to stay up as late as you want is kinda neat. Getting to eat whatever you want, whenever you want is kinda nifty. Taking yourself on mini adventures is pretty great. Sex is pretty amazing. So no, adulthood isn’t all bad. But you know what makes it better? Magic.
Be open to magic. Create your own magic. Believe in magic and life will be that little bit more brilliant.
Because believing in magic opens us up to wonder. It reminds us of what it’s like to be silly. Sometimes, I like to do a little magic test just to make sure I haven’t suddenly adopted powers. See if I can make something float, or read my dog’s mind, or pause time. You gotta test ‘em all because you never know which power you might get. Silliness really shouldn’t be restricted to children. Jump in some puddles. Swing as high as you can. Write the most fantastical mini story you can think of. Colour outside the lines. Put on your new sneakers and run as fast as you can.
It’s not just about silliness and staying connected to your inner child. It’s about discovering what really lights you up, and bringing more of it into your life. If a mundane magic for you is fresh cut flowers, splurge every once and awhile and treat yourself to some magic. Maybe it’s watching clouds drift by—take a moment on a sunny day to lay on the grass and indulge in some magic. Whatever is magic to you, create more of it.
With a little magic, morning routines become rituals. An evening cup of tea becomes an elixir. It makes a walk in the neighbourhood an expedition. It turns the things you see every day into something wonderful. Being open to magic means going through life with your heart and your eyes wide open. It means living with curiosity. It means expanding your mind and being open to possibility.
Give it a try. What would be on your list of mundane magic?
