Magic Happens

My rather ordinary days of late are not without moments of magic. Sometimes the magic visits me unexpectedly, like a butterfly landing on my billowing skirt and taking a short ride with me as I walk in the breeze. These happy little surprises are always welcome. But for a while now my days have been routine - albeit a nice routine, but routine nonetheless - so now I have to deliberately create my own magic.
Yesterday was another one of those ho-hum days that I spiced up with a dash of magic. I was taking a walk in my neighbourhood and noticed a late middle-aged woman a few metres ahead of me. She was walking in the same direction as I, so I saw her from the back. She was colourfully dressed - lots of flounces, flowers and scarves. I thought she looked fabulous. I suppose she could have been described as slightly eccentric, but that's why I enjoyed her so much. I was walking more quickly than she was, so I eventually caught up to her and passed her.
"You look lovely," I said, "even from the back."
She stopped and looked puzzled for a moment. "I'm sorry. What was that?"
I didn't mind repeating myself.
The woman gasped with pleasant surprise. Her hand shot up to her mouth to cover her sudden, brief overflow of emotion. She was so overwhelmed that it was hard for her to speak, although she was clearly touched and grateful. She quickly recovered from her astonishment and broke into a broad, beautiful smile of thanks just before I turned my head and walked away.
Her pleasure and gratitude were contagious. Immediately after seeing her respond to my "random act of kindness," I smiled too, and confess that I felt a tear or two welling in my eyes. I'm certain her reaction to me made me feel every bit as good as I had made her feel. That's the ripple effect I'm always going on about. It's instant and it's real. And if you're lucky enough, as I was in this case, you'll be around to see the results. (There are, of course, much more subtle, long range effects.) It's also called karma. Or what goes around comes around etc. etc. and so forth. You get the picture.
That small gesture on my part made my day a little less mundane. I suspect it made that lovely lady's day more special, too. I'm not sure what my motives were to just blurt out something to a perfect stranger like that. I do it quite often and don't give it much thought. But my intentions were good, even though I wasn't really intending anything. Although that sort of behaviour can get me into trouble - and it has - I've done it enough now that I almost always get good results, or at the very least, don't get bad ones. Practise makes perfect, and living well requires practise.
Magic is defined as creating one's reality according to one's will. I created a better day for myself because I spread a little cheer and good will. It was so easy to do, and it makes me wonder why I don't do it all the time. When the day comes that I do, I'll truly be living a magical life.
Blessed be.
- G. P.