I have a child who believes in the magic of magic. She thinks there is actually a treasure at the end of the rainbow and that in some corner of the earth, there must be a fairyland which no one knows about. She is almost 6-year-old now and the pragmatic me used to try to tell her to come out of this imaginary magical world. “There is no magic in reality”, I insisted every so often during my conversations with her. I could see the tad bit of disappointment on her face whenever I said so. A few months back, while we were having lunch, she grumbled about the taste of yoghurt that day and requested me to feed her. I sensed this could just be an excuse for getting fed by me and I happily obliged. The moment she took a spoonful in her mouth, she exclaimed.

“The curd now tastes delicious, Mumma! How did this happen?”

“Well! That’s Mother’s Magic”, I instinctively quipped amused.

“See! I told you magic exists. It is everywhere Mumma.”, she tried to convince me.

I was zapped for a moment. That day I realised I need to stop telling my daughter that magic does not exist. Why was I trying to curb her beautiful perspective of finding magic in the world around her, I wondered?

As I pondered more, I recognized my folly. Magic does exist. Nature enthralls us in myriad ways. It fascinates us. It leaves us spellbound. Its gigs and acts can leave us gaping in awe, if only we can pause and pay keen attention. Be it the birth of a child or a sprouting of a plant; be it the vibrant rainbow or the changing colours of a chameleon – magic is ubiquitous. It doesn’t even need a wand or a potion.

And then there are humans who touch your life with their magic. Some people create magic with their art. Some captivate you with the goodness of their heart. Some spread magic by deeds which leave you amazed and mesmerized.

The problem is that once we hit adulthood, life and its idiosyncrasies make us lose connect with the curious child within us. We start associating magic to fantasy and forget that magic is, as a matter of fact, very much a part of our everyday lives. We do not have to always look for logic or a scientific explanation behind all that happens in the world. And more than anything else, like my daughter perfectly puts it, we need to stop assuming that what we know and understand is only the gospel truth. If we allow ourselves to get surprised, there are multifarious magical moments or phenomenon that go beyond explanations, clarifications or reasoning. We just need to feel it.

Recently, we ordered a Christmax Storybox Set for our daughter as a pre-Christmas present. Among other interesting activities and goodies, it contained material for making a magic mailbox for Santa. According to the storybook that came along with it, every letter put into the mailbox reaches Santa instantly. She is excited about it and this time, I did not try to ruin her fun by my ‘reality check’ talks. Rather, I am as enthusiastic about this magic mailbox as she is and I have joined her to decorate it.

My daughter has opened my eyes to look at the concept of magic from a different vantage point. I don’t laugh at or dismiss her talks related to magic anymore. So, when she spots magic in milk turning into curd or curdling to paneer, I concur and smile. Because there is!