I always admire how children find joy and wonder in the simplest of experiences. It doesn’t take much for them to discover new activities and people that spark curiosity and happiness in them. Sadly, that ease and simplicity gradually evaporate over the years. As adulthood sets in, most emotions revolve around caution, judgment, and mediocrity. Nevertheless, those feelings can take a backseat when magic is found and befriended again. In this week’s blog, I share how I found that sort of magic recently with strangers and loved ones.
One of the first magical moments occurred when I picked up a badminton racket after almost 25 years. As a teenager, I loved badminton, and I played it as an extracurricular activity and competitively. I found it thrilling and gratifying, because it was one of the few sports that I was actually good at. Unfortunately, I lost touch with badminton when I left India and relocated to the States. I often missed the game as I didn’t have the opportunity to play there.
I finally played badminton a couple of weekends ago on an overnight getaway with family friends and their children. It was exhilarating to say the least. I was out of shape and rusty, but I cherished every minute of it. I played to enjoy myself and as an ode to my teenage years. There was no pressure of winning; I was more focused on going with the flow, practicing, and bettering my game. This was the exact opposite outlook that I had in school where winning the game mattered more than anything else.
The game left me sweaty and out of breath, and it was a fabulous replacement for my usual exercise routine. When I was done playing, I realized that, sometimes, getting back in touch with the joys of our past is magical and uplifting for our souls.
Another magical moment happened when I learnt some fundamentals of playing ping pong. I know it’s not rocket science, but I’ve only ever goofed around with the racket and ball. This time, I opted to understand the game and play it as it is meant to be played.
Anything that keeps my mind and body agile intrigues me. Ping pong fell into that bracket as it was challenging yet fun for me. I had to work on my coordination, backhand, and pretty much everything else. As I grasped the basics, I reckoned that being open to discovering and learning at any age can feel magical. Whether we do it on our own or with others, it gives a sense of fulfillment and excitement.
Later in the week, I experienced one more magical moment that allowed me to be of service. On one of the nights when I was helping at the restaurant, I noticed a forlorn family of three sitting on a nearby bench with a few pieces of luggage. The family looked worn out, and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I’m sure I was being rude, but it broke my heart to see them sitting there. When I mentioned them to my husband, he went over and asked if they were all right. The father, I presume, told us that the three of them arrived from their village that morning and were not able to get ahold of their daughter who lived locally. She was a teacher at one of the schools, but her phone was switched off and they had nowhere to go until she answered. I don’t know how much truth or fabrication was in that story, but I knew that I wanted to help them.
The best way I could do so at that moment was by feeding them. They hadn’t eaten, so the kitchen team quickly prepared three thalis (an Indian meal with the essentials of bread, vegetable, lentils, etc.) and offered it to them. I was manning the restaurant, but I took a quick peek outside when the food was provided to them. My eyes welled up thinking that I was so lucky for two reasons. One of them being that I was able to give them a warm meal, and the other to realize that not everyone has it as easy as me.
There is no greater magic than being kind and counting our blessings. I forget that all too often. Sadly, it took that incident to remind me that no matter how down on our luck we might be, there is always something in our favor. We just have to spot it.
The last slice of magic came through a therapeutic body scan meditation that I completed with a professional. I have done body scans on my own but never with another individual guiding me. The entire process was revelatory. I spent several minutes on all the body parts to understand if they were trying to tell me something. This form of meditation might sound bizarre, but you have to try it before you knock it.
It is so normal to live in physical discomfort that we ignore or tolerate, so when I sat down and asked out of concern, there were certain areas that got “talking.” I tried to be loving, non-judgmental, and interested to understand better. Some parts remained silent, and others had much to share.
I was surprised with how cathartic twenty minutes of this body scan was for me. It helped me recognize the emotionally wounded parts that still need work. How silly it was of me to forget that healing is a lifelong process.
If we want to transform – physically and emotionally – we need to check in with ourselves lovingly and patiently. We need to do so in many ways by experimenting and stepping out of our shell. It is all too easy to gloss over pain, difficult emotions, and past trauma, because it takes courage sprinkled with magic to get better.
If we choose, we have the power to weave our own magic. If we intend to, we can feel the magic in the most mundane and overlooked experiences. Magic is a combination of choice, intention, and outlook. Many of you found a version of this magic if you were in the path of the solar eclipse this week. I am envious of you, but, more importantly, I hope you were as spellbound as I was looking at the spectacular images 😊.
As always, I am here to support you all the way, my brave soul. I hope you keep in touch with your stories, thoughts, and feedback. If you wish to learn more, please stop by www.imperfectbodies.com. Lastly, if you enjoyed this information, then please share it with others.
My guide to creating your vision available here: https://fierce-originator-1156.ck.page/fb87324085
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All the best,
Chaitni