Do you believe in magic?
“Surrender to the way things want to happen next, even though this often involves a vast and terrifying loss of control. Trust the magic that was born into your soul.” ~Martha Beck, Finding Your Way in a Wild New World
Now that it’s October, my email is brimming with lists of the best spooky movies I can watch this month, from Alfred Hitchcock classics to Practical Magic and John Carpenter’s Halloween. Get the popcorn ready — I’m in!
Some folks don’t enjoy scary films or ghost stories — or anything else in which events are manipulated by unseen forces. Are you one of those people?
According to research, if you fit that psychological profile, you prefer to be in control. You’re not one to take chances. You need to know what’s ahead, which explains why you’re not a fan of cinematic surprises like a boogeyman suddenly appearing at the top of a narrow flight of stairs. Likewise, you’re the person who’s always trying to figure out how the magician is performing his tricks onstage.
There’s nothing wrong with staying calm and in control. But as today’s quote reminds us, there are moments in life when it’s simply fun to sit back and enjoy the show. Magic happens when we’re willing to let go and let the story unfold. ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
