Miracles by Walt Whitman

"As for me, I know nothing else but miracles, 
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan, 
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky, 
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water, 
Or stand under the trees in the woods, 
Or talk by day with any one I love, 
Or sleep in bed at night with any one I love, 
Or watch honey bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon... 
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, 
Or of stars shining so quiet and bright, 
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring... 
What stranger miracles are there?"

Part of the magic of childhood is the belief in magic--Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, the Man in the Moon, monsters, fairies and unicorns. Oh, what a wonderful, magical time.  But, then, we grow older, the adults in our lives don't think it is so 'cute' anymore.  They tell us it was time to grow up and accept life for what it is.  They tell us that magic doesn't exist.  So, we stop believing.  Reality sets in and takes away the magic of our youth. We grow up and no longer see the pictures in the clouds or the wee folk hiding in the rose bush or  the wonder we see in the twinkling of a firefly and the magical excitement of Christmas.  It just seems to happen. One day you notice something is gone

Our ancestors believed that the world was a magical place. The earth was sacred and was treated with great respect and reverence. They saw magic and magical beings everywhere they looked. Thunder was the voice of the gods, clouds are the spirits of our ancestors, and the earth was a living being and the mother of all life forms that exist on the planet. The natural world was alive with spirits. They saw magic everywhere.

Sadly, the natural world has been pretty much neglected as of late. When we lost our magic, we lost our sense of wonder and  our ability to see all of those little miracles that take place in our daily lives. I believe all of us need to reclaim that sacred relationship to the natural world that surrounds us. It exists for us now, just as it existed for our ancestors.There is ordinary magic all around us.

All of the seasons have their magic, but there is something about Spring that is extra special. Take some time to look around you today.  The  trees are blooming,  the birds are singing, and the grass is green and rising. The daily passage of the Sun over the sky and the nightly procession of stars are magical. There is magic in the sound of Spring's light rain.  For me, it is the ocean. It both inspires and fascinates me. I feel its awe and power. The Moon also holds an intricate part in my life. Her beauty never fails to astound me. I feel her presence in my life. 

We should all follow the example of Walt Whitman and open our eyes to see. There's magic everywhere; the universe is full of magical things. Take some time to explore the natural world and  get to know its wisdom. Remember, it's all right to believe like a child, no matter how old you are ...

(The above photos are an example of some of our 'city' magic. They were taken on my cell phone, sent to my son, and sent back to my email.  I really do need to think about getting a new camera.)