waving my wand

yesterday, early evening, as i sat inside eating my dinner, i glanced out the flank of windows across my living room wall and saw what you are seeing above.  now, mind you, i've zoomed in for detail, but i have every bit of that view from my windows and from the deck, and i can sit on my red linen sofa with feet propped up and stare out across those mountains for as long as the sun is up.  i don't know what it is about those rising and falling, undulating silhouettes, looking to me like pieces of torn paper layered against one another, that bring such peace and tranquility to my heart and soul.  but they do.  and to me, that is the essence of beauty, and the magic of life.

i remember, this morning, a time when robin was in first grade.  because the public school system was so deplorable, and even dangerous, at that point in montgomery, alabama (most likely still is, for all i know), his father's parents were paying for him to attend private school.  it was a difficult time for robin, and for me.  there was a strict dress code ("one may not wear any clothing that calls attention to one's self" - what?!), and hair length could not touch his collar.  one day - first grade, remember - robin came home and told me in great distress that his teacher had emphatically stated to the class that there was no such thing as magic.  i was incredulous, and livid.  when i think back to this incident, i'm surprised that i did not immediately pick up the phone and call for a conference; but i was young then, and still very green, and confused about who the authoritative figures were in my life.  i did, however, sit robin down and tell him that the world is so very, very full of magic, all around us, and that he should just quietly know this when his misguided teacher told him these sorts of narrow minded things.  i've never forgotten this incident, and if anything, that teacher did nothing but reinforce my penchant for noticing the intricate beauty and wonder that is all around us.   as you can see from robin's china visa photo (they leave saturday), his style managed to blossom with shining colors, and i've never stopped him from being his own beautiful person, or from showing him the many different ways that magic comes to us in our day to day moments and routines.

when i went outside to look at the way the evening mist was falling down across the mountains and the valleys, i thought i'd capture some of that magnificent, magical light that happens to surround this place called firefly road from time to time.  i felt, then, like a magician, capturing in a simple carved marble of clear quartz crystal, an upside down world of sky and trees and whatever else is reflected in its tiny little orb.  the moment just happened to be right for a wee bit of magic, or miracles, or inherent beauty that was out there simply waiting to be captured and shared.

the moment is captured here - just like this - a moment in a circle, against a tiny splash of leftover rain water, an entire world turned upside down, a thing of light and earth and sky and ground, resting on liquid, everything all in one.  magic.

"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour. " -  William Blake

Comments

[mim stella]

I SO believe in magic...it is in our everyday lives - but if you don't believe, perhaps you can't see it. poor teacher, a life with no magic.

[Leau]

Ahhh Nina what a beautiful start to my day. I adore the photographs thru the marble! Aren't you clever to use it as a lens. There is this beautiful place in Albuquerque called the glass graveyard that is an old city dump from the turn of the last century. They burned and burned all the trash years ago and finally all that's left is the glass. We were out there on Sunday and the light was perfect and I kept holding up the bits and pieces of broken glass to see what it looked in the light. My favorite was the purple bits but the blue was amazing as well and I wish I'd thought to see the world in those bits like you did with the marble! (heart) leau

[tracie Huskamp]

VERY MISGUIDED... INDEED!!! don't they know... that the world a made of... Love.. sprinkled with touch of MAGIC

xo always!

[edssak]

Without the possibility of magic in ones life how very mundane every day would seem. I still firmly believe in magic and so did my grandmother,she taught me.

[Lisa/milkshake]

I agree with mim stella - poor teacher. But what a fine teaching moment for you and your son!

[Wendee]

Oh.. magical indeed.

[kelly]

Another stunning post, Nina. I'm re-delurking to tell you that your writing is an important part of my week, that you remind me to look inward with my outward study. Your writing has helped me to see so much. Thank you for publishing it for any to read.

[Steph]

Wowwww great magical pictures ... I love them ! It's such a treat to read your blog!

[Jane]

There is nothing I can say about this post...

because I can not find the words...

xoxoxox
J a n e

[Stephanie LEe]

NIna, nina, nina...how do you do it? How do you present the world in such incomprehensible and delicious enormity yet reminding us all that the beauty of life...and the MAGIC of life...is really in seeing the little things as beautiful. Thank you!!

[Leslie Marsh]

Every time I come here (every day), I am reminded to slow down and reflect on the details of life that might otherwise go unnoticed. You capture them perfectly. Your sons are blessed to have you as their mother.

[suz]

what a wonderful mom you are -- so inspiring. i love that you keep magic alive in your life - it is a sad, sad, day when people stop seeing magical moments. then those people become sad themselves...what is the world, if not magic?

[Stef]

What a lovely post and gorgeous pictures (and what a lovely mother you are to encourage your children to recognize the magic in the world).

I love seeing those old, beautiful mountains through your eyes. Thank you.

[Vicki in Michigan]

No wonder your sons love you so....

I love your pictures today. All of them, and my favorite is the tightly-cropped marble in the puddle.

Wow. Magic indeed.

[Mo'a]

Wonderful story. I feel sorry for that teacher and others that sleep walk in this world and don't see the Magic.
Your Sons are lucky to have you as their Mother...and I need not tell you how lucky you are to have them :)
I love your photos...I could invison, you giving a class in how to see and how to photograph what you see. I think that would be great.

[Cathy Wegner]

Your pictures are so beautiful and peaceful! Thank you for sharing your world.

[Cindy Dean]

Isn't it sad that teachers feel the need to knock our kids down when they should be helping to build them up. I too have had to have conversations with my children about narrow minded teachers. Great pictures, you are always thinking outside of the box.

[jzr]

There is no life without magic!

[Vickie]

Ok, you need to take your entire blog and make an audio cassette of it, then put it on the market. The pictures, of course, are great; but the words throughout are awesome! I love reading, but every now and then an audio cassette, to listen to as you lie back, relaxing and picturing in your mind through the words, is huge in it's own way. Your's would be wonderful!!

[Amy]

Ok...just went/going through some hard times with my 3 year old daughter's new preschool teacher...guess the more things change the more they stay the same, huh? But the universe has an uncanny ability to send me help/insight/wisdom from all kinds of places, so Thank You once again for opening your heart to all of us out here in blog-land.

Also, I am going to be needing copies of all three of those amazing pictures of the marbles (:~)...Magic x 3!...I just can't stop looking at them and well, I'm gonna have to get offline eventually!

[Ariane]

Truly magical photos and inspiring thoughts! I immediately started picturing jewelry using these photos (especially the ones with the crystal marble in the puddle). I think there's some jewelry magic there waiting to happen.

[Star]

I could look at your view and never tire of it (and would probably get little else done but gazing out the window). Your description of torn paper is spot on with the layering of the peaks as they recede into the horizon. Very magical.

[Frankie Kins]

Nina, I love the third marble picture! Well, I love them all, but that one is special.

Your view is spectacular and I'm so very jealous!

[liz]

you are all and very magic-al... love the light filled marbles, like worlds rolling in the waters (of creation)

[Deb Wire]

Thanks for sharing that. I have been in a terribly disgrunteled mood since a close friend told me her oldest child lost her first tooth. I was so excited and asking about the tooth fairy, but she said she had decided her daughter did not need to believe in any myths, so she has told her there is no such thing as the tooth fairy, santa or the easter bunny. ARGHHHH! Why do people try to steal the magic from children's lives?

[Angie Platten]

My second grader just came home yesterday and said that they had been instructed to color a kangaroo as part of their assignment, and to be "creative". Well, Sam took his teacher very literally (a teacher that I really, really like a lot, mind you) and he colored his kangaroo like a rainbow. He was then told that he was getting carried away and being a bit too creative! I wanted to jump through the roof! I quickly told him that no matter what she said or how he had to go by her rules in the classroom, that under no circumstance was he to ever believe what he did was wrong and that there is no such thing as being too creative. AND, he may have to color the kangaroo and simple color on paper, but in his heart, that kangaroo can be rainbow striped with pink and purple polka dots if he wants it that way! Some people just don't have a clue, do they?

[denise]

I remember that happening when emily was in second grade and having to explain about her teacher not understanding or not believing.

[Judi]

Ahhh...your photos, Nina!! You should publish a book or print and sell them. You are really good! And, I love your words.

When my girls were younger, we would get up early, early in the morning and tip-toe out into the dewy garden in our barefeet. We had to be very quiet, as we were trying to see the fairies as they emerged from the newly opened blossoms. We never did catch one in the act, but we kept looking:-)

Later, when other kids were trying to convince them that there is no Santa, they were getting to the point where they were swaying in that direction. They asked me point blank. I asked them, "If the other kids told you there were no fairies, would you believe them?". They were aghast and looked at me as if I was crazy! Of course there are fairies, they said. Well, there it is...magic is all around...

[kim]

firefly road is a magical place....
xox~kim

[susanna]

What a beautifully-written post. I'm so glad that you reassured your son that there IS magic in this world. I'm dumbfounded that this teacher would tell your young son that! I'm guessing she's lumped magic and witchcraft together. Sigh... Well, it looks like your son has embraced magic and creativity full-force in his life. :)

Your photographs are beautiful! I love, LOVE, your idea of photographing the beauty and magic of the surroundings in a glass marble. I'm heading up north to one of my favourite places on earth -a lake up in rugged Canada - and if you don't mind me borrowing your idea, I'm going to capture the magic of that place in a marble, too!

[sion]

those marble photos are awesome. I remember having similar conversations with my son, 20-odd years ago.

[Sue]

Of all the photos I've seen that you've shared here, this last one is by far, the best of the best! You're right, there really is magic in this world, I've seen it, so have you, and please keep reminding us, because like Robin's experience with his teacher, there's always going to be someone telling us there's really no magic. But we know better, and just need to hang onto that knowledge.

[annie lockhart]

i needed a bit of beautiful magic tonight! thanks for the reminder sweetie.
xo

[Tina in Seattle]

Lovely!

[Joan]

Nina,
When I came to 'visit' earlier, and saw this post I was knocked breathless... every single thing about you is... pure magic.
Thank you... thank you.

[Joan]

Nina,
When I came to 'visit' earlier, and saw this post I was knocked breathless... every single thing about you is... pure magic.
Thank you... thank you.

[wendy from NZ]

Above all watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.
Those who don;t believe in magic will never find it.......

[sepiaartstudio]

Magis is around us, weather we believe ir or not. It is in a eye of an beholder to see every day and every moment part of an magical faery tale. Eye is not a only thing in our body, which make us see; wee can see through our hearts and soul also.

You are so incredibly lucky Nina to live on a place like that!
The last photo is so incredibly beautiful!

Delila

[Shirley]

Hi Nina~
I visit with you everyday through your blog. Many times I don't speak but today...OH today,
I am captivated by the sorcery of your words and images.
LOVE,love..love this one.
Thank you, once again.
Shirl

[Holly]

Hi Nina - this is my first time posting comments on blogs -
All that you create is amazing to me! You are an amazing mother, I look up to you, I want to be like you when I have children one day.
~ You are an inspiration to us all Nina ~

Thankyou for pubishing your words of wisdom for everyone to read.

HOLLY.

[Cindy Ericsson]

Thank you for the magic you bring to the world. This morning, like many others recently, I feel pressed down by the weight of life's difficulties and problems. I came here to spend a quiet few moments, breathe in some clean air, sip from a beautiful cup and leave refreshed. Thank you, Nina.

[Sharon]

Nina,

I so look forward to checking your blog every day. I can't tell you how many times it has brought a tear to my eye.

I enrolled my now grown son in preschool for half days years ago when I was working from home. One day not long after school started I picked him up and the teacher said "oh, he's such a bright boy...knows all his letters...but he cries when I tell him to color inside the lines." I took him out of that school the next day.

I am dreaming of the day I can take one of your classes...

Sharon

[alex s]

Dear One -

Speechless? Me? The person who makes a living putting words to things that nothing can (or should) describe? But I am...except to say that these photos are brilliant. And the moments captured divine.

Thank you for bringing such beautiful magic into the world.

p/s what camera are you using?

[marita]

magical pictures and writing. thank you for posting and sharing them, nina!!

[Amy]

I love your marble world pictures! They are stunning in their simplicity and beauty.

[Lori]

Truly stunning photos, Nina. I wish I had learned the lesson that the "authority" figures aren't always right much earlier than I did.

[Cathrine]

You inspire all the way up to Norway, Nina. Thank you!

[Linda Harre]

Oh Nina......What a beautiful post! You make my heart sing:D

[Emmie Seaman]

Your pictures are magical.

[Becky]

Your words are magic. How easy it is for all of us to get caught up in our day to day life and forget to take the time to see the magic around us. I love the picture of your son. He smiles with his eyes.That shows he does belive in magic

[mj]

These photos are absolutely magical. I'm glad I'm heading to the mountains tomorrow.

[Loretta]

Nina, these are the most extraordinary photos I've ever seen. You have such a gift, my dear, for this photography, almost rivaling your marvelous jewelrysmithing!

And thank you for your kind words about my column. You always inspire me to write about the magic in my life.

Your son is beautiful and I am imagining the adventures they are sharing in China. And perhaps bringing back a few talisman for their sweet Mama??

[Laney]

Beautiful post, beautiful story and images. it looks as though you have raised a beautiful, adventuresome and thoughtful man-child. Good for you.

[Carole]

"the world is so very, very full of magic, all around us"....

Yes it is, if only we take the time to look and appreciate.

I absolutely LOVE that second picture of the marble. Beautifully artistic! And your mountain view is fantastic....What a wonderful 'picture' to have outside your window.

[Syd]

If this isn't a magical image ( marble in rain water) I don't know what is....Your whole blog is magical!