Remember when you were young and how you felt when you saw something for the first time? Depending on your age, this might be more difficult for some than others. Depending on how your childhood was, this might be more difficult for some than others. If you fall into the category of remembering being difficult, try to think of a time in your life, young or older, that you saw something that just made you instantly smile with wonder.
Do you have the image? More importantly, do you feel that? That feeling is MAGIC— unrestricted happiness! Somehow we lose it more and more as we age. Do people become jaded? Do they feel they have already seen everything there is to see? Is there simply nothing new in the world? Where does the magic go? Why do people lose it?
Finding that feeling, typically this is not an issue for me. I try to put myself in new experiences, so the magic never dies. There are two experiences that I do not need assistance with; no matter how many times I experience them, they are always magical to me. The first snow and flying.
Those that live in areas where it never snows, my apologies. It would help if you came to visit. A Western New York winter is like no other. (I actually cannot claim that as fact, as I have never experienced winter anywhere else. However, I will say that the WNY community as a whole knows how to embrace winter.) When I speak of the "first" snow, I speak of the first time snow accumulates on the ground. We have mild flurries that land and melt. That isn't very pleasing. When you look out your window seeing giant snowflakes, it is as if you are in a snow globe. Add in when those flakes start sticking to tree limbs, bushes, and accumulate on the grass; it is beautiful, magical, pure happiness. The snow sparkles in the sun, it sparkles in the moonlight, magical.
The other experience is flying—any kind of flying. A plane, helicopter, air balloon, hang gliding, magical. Although I have learned about physics and how flying is possible over the years, I choose not to think about that. Every time I travel by plane, we take off, I look out the window and watch Earth move away from us as we ascend higher and higher, thinking, "This is a large metal object with lots of people and lots of weight, and yet here we are defying gravity. We are in the sky like birds and clouds. AMAZING!"
Flying in a helicopter is much different than that of a plane. The lift-off is up and immediate. It is also as though you are in a little bubble because you can see so much more than through the little window of an airplane. If you ever get the chance to ride in a helicopter, I suggest YES! I have seen Niagara Falls from the view of a helicopter three times. Besides the thrill of being in the air (which I will say again, "AMAZING!"), you also get to see the majestic power of the mighty falls from an angle too few people ever get to experience.
Hang gliding is by far my most favorite experience with flying. This type of flying is surreal. Air blows over your prone body, nothing between you and the ground below save for some canvass and straps. You fly above the trees. You feel weightless. You are in the sky soaring like a bird. All your unpleasant thoughts are wiped away as the view, and the feeling encapsulates you.
Being in an air balloon, I can only imagine as I have not yet had the pleasure. For anyone who has, feel free to share your experience. I would love to hear about it as others most likely would.
Find the magic. If you can't remember the last time, you were in awe of the world, get out there and find something to bring it back. Just because we age does not mean the magic is gone. We have allowed all the other day to day stuff to squish it into space we forgot. Dig it out! A world without magic, without awe, is bland and hard to enjoy. We need magic throughout our life, not just when we are young.
Love Lots; Smile Often
If you have the chance to visit Niagara Falls, please, visit my amazing friends at Rainbow Air at 454 Main Street, Niagara Falls, New York. There isn't a better view of the mighty Niagara Falls anywhere. Let them help you experience the MAGIC. Click this link to learn more about Rainbow Air.