Bibbidi Bobbidi boo or would that be faldera and fiddle-dee-dee?



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Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.  Miracle on 34th Street

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.  Louise May Alcott

[I]f you have a purpose in which you can believe, there's no end to the amount of things you can accomplish.  Marian Anderson

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.  Eleanor Roosevelt

Based on my 48 plus years of data collections, magic and miracles and "things are happening every day" (Rogers and Hammerstein, 1957). 

These past three weeks I have been reading many blogs in the PBP project.  And, I now have to confess – I grew up in a liberal Christian household.  The Bible was to be debated on.  Why?  No one personally knew the guys who wrote the book thus no one has the insider’s interpretation for each verse.  Interpretation is based on an individual’s age, experience, sex, race, income…….

During the sermons, my favorite pastime was to read the Bible's accounts of miracles.  (Liberal household – as long as you were quiet was the key during the service).  I equated Jesus’ miracle making the same as Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.  I know, Fairy Godmother was a fictional character; but if Jesus was real why couldn’t I make magic or create miracles too?  Why couldn't I help someone in a magical way.


If you google the web you will find out quickly this type of thinking is called Magical Thinking.  It’s considered a primitive and childlike way of thinking, having an irrational belief system, and associated with several mental health disorders.  Frankly, I turn my nose up to those skeptics who may think I'm a "zanny fool" (Rogers and Hammerstein).  I believe the problem is we have forgotten how to see these miracles and magical elements in our life, including those researchers.  Sometimes it is so small it goes unnoticed.  Maybe one of the problems is some of us are sitting around waiting for a Fairy Godmother to show up and do all the work.

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My Instructions for Living a Magical Life Part 1:

I know everyone wants to jump in and get it started by cooking up some neat dish, lighting some candles, braiding some ribbon or making some other cool crafty item – but you really need to take a step back.  It's important that you are able to see the magic occurring around you before you begin to make it.  Additionally, you should understand how it works both in your world and in your life.  And, to sound like my mother: “you need to practice to be good at it.”  It has been my experience that you need to be willing to devote some time in your day to this craft or else you'll only be mediocre.

I remember reading about Merlin’s teaching of Arthur.  One of his first lessons: to sit and listen to the birds.  Arthur’s task was to be able to distinguish the different songs between birds. What struck me in this story was that magic is a sensory experience.  If you can't hear the different songs than you aren't fully aware.  And, this is true for all of your senses. 

I had to drive to Canton this morning.  It’s a two and a half hour drive up and back.  Besides listening to WOSU celebrate Mozart’s birthday and my CD of Bossa music.  I tried to come-up with activities people could do for becoming aware of the magic occurring.  I began creating a list of my magical occurrences for the past week - only one I put out some energy on. 

1. The trees along the highway were dusted with confectionary sugar (it was snowing as I drove)
2. The birds were flying over the highway in triangular patterns.
3. They put enough cream in my coffee from McDonalds.
4. I had to get a new transmission for my car.  I was pulling out the Visa card and my student ID popped out.  The cashier asked if I was a student.  I said yes.  She tells me I get 10% off the entire bill.  
5. The transmission bill didn’t blow my entire savings account.  Thus I won’t be charged for going under the minimum balance.
6. I got 100% on my Mary Oliver paper.
7. The salt truck pelleted my car in time to the Samba music.  (Weird but cool)
8. I got 20 hours worth of music for $20.  (My work area has become very quiet to the point it is distracting.)
9. My gas light flashed on on Rt. 30 between 10 miles worth of no gas stations.  I put it out there I needed to get to the gas station.

 A side note:  You will notice most of these these occurrences don't appear to be much based on what the TV says I need. 

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Even An Old Pros Needs Reminders

At my house during the holiday season we celebrate many traditions and cultures.  The first time I knitted this Christmas Sock pattern everything was going great.  I was happily using up some of my stash of green, red and white yarn.  The three color pattern was looking nice and I knew there was enough room for lots of treats and chocolates.  That was until I came to the heel flap.  

I must have read the pattern 16 gzillion times (gzillion my son’s favorite term).  Each time, heel portion made no sense.

Knit 14 sts, k2tog, turn.

Slip first st, purl 6, purl 2 tog, turn.

Slip first st, k7, k2tog, turn.

Slip first st, p8, p2tog, turn.

(Sorry to those non-knitters – but reading above you probably better understand my anxiety at the time.)

I tried to visualize what was going on by comparing it to a store made sock.  Determined, I would knit two rows and immediately tear it all out.  To me, what I was knitting clearly couldn’t be right.  I don’t know how many times I repeated this pattern: knit and rip out.  Frustration was taking over and the words in the directions were beginning to blur.  I concluded that the directions weren’t right.

As a last ditch effort, I took the pattern to my co-worker (a Fairy Godmother in disguise who’s obsessed with knitting socks).  She glanced at the pattern, shrugged and said there isn’t anything wrong.  She told me I was the one who was having the problem.  She patted my arm and said:  “Just trust the pattern and you’ll have a heel.  It’s magic.  Socks are guaranteed magical event every time.”

She then went on to explain in knitting terms what was happening.  Which went into my brain like when a someone is talking about (Name a subject you don’t understand)  - what I took from it was when doing the heel flap you don’t knit across the entire row.  (This still doesn’t make sense to me - I mean: logically speaking why wouldn’t you knit across the entire row?)  But, my co-worker insisted that I just follow the directions no matter how crazy it sounds.  I needed to believe it would work.  So I picked up the needles and thirty minutes later magic had happened.  My Christmas sock had a heel. 

http://www.planetshoup.com/easy/holiday/xstockknit1.shtml

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Non-knitting Activities:

Make a list of the magical occurances that are going on right now in your life.