Magic

There is so much magic in this world.

And I think we so often miss it. We miss it because we’re busy documenting moments. We’ve become so used to social media that we think about life in impersonal, third-person ways. We spend so much time taking photos of events that we forget to enjoy them.

But life isn’t a photo opportunity. Weddings, births, birthdays – these are big events that should be experienced. Photos are nice, yes, but the more important thing is the moment. We so often live for our photographs, for our witty 140-word recaps that we forget to just be. We forget to enjoy the moment.

I went to a neighborhood art show. A 23-year-old musician performed in the backyard. At least a dozen solar-powered lanterns hung above us. We braved the San Francisco summer cold and listened to music and waited for the moment that the lanterns would illuminate, powered by energy gathered during the day. First one, then three, then all of the lanterns lit up. We oohed. And we all took photos. And, yet, not a single one of those photos captured the magic of that moment. Nothing could convey the delight of light and music on a cold summer evening.

Magic cannot be described. Attempts at dissecting it just lead to disillusionment. Some – most – experiences are just meant to be. Joy doesn’t need to be explained. It doesn’t need to be documented. We know it exists.

We just need to put down our cameras, put aside our third-person narratives, and let it enter our lives.

There is so much magic in this world.