Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we forget.
We forget how to marvel at the steam curling from a cup of tea like a tiny ghost escaping into the afternoon air.
We forget to tilt our heads back and really look at the sky—to wonder why, on some days, it’s robin’s egg blue and on others, it’s the deep, endless velvet of the universe itself.
We trade curiosity for efficiency. Wonder for practicality. Magic for "real life."
But what if real life is magic?
Consider the ordinary moment of washing your hands. It’s something you’ve done thousands of times, barely registering the sensation. But today, just for a moment, notice.
Maybe get the water just a little too warm (happens to me a lot).
Feel the warmth of the water enveloping your fingers, the way it moves like silk against your skin.
This is no ordinary moment.
This is a miracle disguised as a routine.
The secret language of the world
There is a language the world speaks, but most of us have forgotten how to hear it.
It’s in the way leaves shiver in the breeze, whispering secrets to one another and giggling about them.
How morning sunlight yawns across the kitchen floor, warming the tiles in golden puddles.
It’s in the scent of freshly baked bread, in the sound of an unexpected laugh.
In the way my cat stretches—so luxuriously, so completely—as if she were the only creature in the world that understood the true meaning of comfort. (She would say so.)
If you listen closely, the world is telling you a story. Remember the language?
The Child within you still remembers
Think back to when you were a kid.
That dandelion wasn’t just a weed—it was a tiny sun, waiting to explode into a flurry of wishes. Rain puddles weren’t obstacles—they were portals, leading to secret worlds beneath the sidewalk.
Do you remember the way the simplest things felt like magic spells unfolding right before your eyes?
Worms wiggling through the dirt, the flicker of fireflies at night…
That part of you isn’t gone, it’s just been buried under schedules and responsibilities. Under grocery lists and emails, under the weight of adulting.
But what if, just for today, you let that child take the lead?
Everyday Magic, Hidden in the Ordinary
Try this experiment: For the rest of the day, pretend you’ve never been here before.
Look at your own house as if you were seeing it for the first time. The shape of the door, the way the shadows move across the walls, the scent of your home—familiar, yet suddenly new.
Taste your food like a scientist conducting an experiment. Is it sweet? Salty? Does it crunch? Does it melt?
Does it have flavor at all? When was the last time you noticed?
Ever notice how commercially bought roses don’t even smell like anything anymore?
Listen to the world like a symphony. The hum of the refrigerator, the murmur of distant traffic, the rise and fall of your own breath.
Look. Listen. Touch. Taste. Be here.
This is where magic lives. Not in some far-off adventure, not in fairy tales or fantasy books, but right here, in the life you’re already living.
The spell is simple: pay attention
You don’t need to move to a remote monastery, spend a fortune on retreats, or meditate for hours a day. The spell is much simpler than that.
Just notice.
Notice the way your coffee creamer swirls as you stir it. The way wind dances through the trees.
Pay attention, and the ordinary will unfold into something extraordinary.
And when it does—when you catch that glimpse of magic hiding in plain sight—you’ll remember.
You’ll remember that this life—your life—is full of wonder.
You’ll remember that magic never left you.
You just had to start looking for it again.
Do one simple, wonder-filled miracle for yourself, and tell us about it in the comments!
I’m in a group where we decide on a weekly practice. This week has been to turn off our phones for at least half an hour and do something that is self-care. It’s been a really interesting experience, being present in life without distraction and with focus, being present.
This is a great reminder, EC. I love the re-brand of the site, bring on the magic!