The Magic of Nature

Summary

The author reflects on the enchanting aspects of nature and everyday life, drawing parallels between childhood beliefs in magic and the wonders of the natural world.

Abstract

The article "The Magic of Nature" recounts the author's childhood fantasies of magic, from pretending to be characters from TV shows to concocting potions in the garden. As an adult, the author finds magic in the mundane, such as cooking a stew or meeting a future spouse in an unexpected way. The article emphasizes the miraculous aspects of nature, from the growth of an acorn into an oak tree to the intricate systems of the environment. It concludes with the author's anticipation of planting a garden, an act that embodies the transformative power of nature and the magic within it.

Opinions

The author believes in the existence of magic and miracles, which are found in the everyday and the natural world.
Childhood games and make-believe are seen as early expressions of wonder and the search for magic.
Cooking is likened to alchemy, transforming simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
The author's meeting with their husband is humorously described as a magical event, despite its unconventional nature.
Nature's processes, such as the growth of plants and the cycles of the tides, are considered potent magic.
The act of gardening is viewed as a magical practice, with the gardener as a "magic maker" who brings life to barren soil.
The author expresses a sense of awe and reverence for natural wonders like Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, suggesting they are evidence of a higher power or profound beauty.
Planting a tree is seen as a collaborative effort with nature, ensuring the right conditions for growth and symbolizing a connection between earth and sky.

The Magic of Nature

From the miracle that is the acorn becoming the oak to the endless ebb and flow of the tides.

image by author

How many of us, at the age of 6 or 7, believed in magic? I know I did.

Sometimes it was jumping on my parent’s bed playing ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ with my sister (I date myself here). Wearing our hair in ponytails as we ran around the room, arms folded in front of us. Bopping our heads as we made magical things happen.

Other times, it was practicing twitching our noses in front of the mirror as we pretended to be Samantha from ‘Bewitched.’

On warm days, we’d hang out in our overgrown garden, plucking berries, grasses, and snails. Mixing them into an old rusted bbq to make our potions. Even though I told my little sister it wouldn’t hurt her, thankfully she never quite believed me.

As I think back on that, there is some nostalgia for the times I believed all I had to do was twitch my nose to make a boy fall in love with me.

But as I write these words, the 7-year-old in me is saying there is magic and there are miracles. They are here, all around, every day. It is simply in how I look at things.

Instead of mixing berries and snails, I pour broth and vegetables and grains into a pot. Cook them for an hour to make a stew and I am an alchemist. I magically met my husband when he broadsided me in a car accident one afternoon (though I don’t recall twitching my nose for that one).

Then there is the glorious magic of Nature herself. From the miracle that is the acorn becoming the oak, to the endless ebb and flow of the tides, to the sheer perfection of Nature’s systems as she continually renews and evolves. All potent magic.

We stand in awe at Yosemite, Zion, the Grand Canyon and feel our hearts expand with the beauty of it all. We hold our child for the first time and cry, “There must be a god!”

As I go out into the world today to plant a garden, it is with renewed delight. On this beautiful morning I am a magic maker once again. On this day, I will add compost and water and oxygen to a barren patch of dirt and bring it back to life. With these acts, laying the foundation for healthy and bountiful soil.

On this day, I will plant a tree that thrives in just this location, requiring this amount of sun. I will make sure that it is watered so that the roots expand eagerly into their new home, and the leaves reach freely up into the heavens.

Yes. On this day, I will wave my hands over the now fertile ground and whisper, “Grow, little one, grow.” Then stand back and watch the magic take hold.