Innocence

Father God, please protect the Little Ones, who still dream about Eden. Who still believe that all people are kind and well-meaning. Who still smile with genuine love, without falseness, without pretension. Protect and Bless them, guard them with Your Father’s hand.

Fantasy as Gift

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ~ Albert Einstein

I love that Einstein held fantasy and imagination in such high regard. I think its marvellous that a man of science and logic appreciates the immense capacity of the imagination and the power of fantasy to transform everyday life. I especially love that he knows it is a gift, a gift he values even more than knowledge. It seems strange at first, as though Einstein, perhaps the greatest scientist the world has known, would prefer fantasy to fact, the unreal to the real.
Upon reflection it is not so surprising, however. We forget that to apply reason and logic to any situation, we first need the imagination as our testing ground – as a way of conceptualizing possible outcomes. For instance, how could we theorize that an atom exists without first imagining the possibility? For that matter, how could we theorize anything at all?
We compartmentalize everything we learn for the sake of simplicity. That is why we view the imagination as a separate and independent faculty from our ability to reason and apply knowledge, when really, they are a part of the same thought processes and not opposed to one another at all. The lion should be able to lie down with the lamb. Art is not really so far apart from Science and Math and the other disciplines. It drives them, pushes the boundaries, injects them with new expectation. Perhaps Albert Einstein said it best when he said: “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” The gift of imagination can allow us to envision miracles and wonders. The power then comes when we believe.

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Under Duress

Writing is sometimes like going to the dentist. It has to be done, it will make you feel better, but its process is painful. Today writing is made particularly painful for me by the fact that I have a wicked witch planning to poison me and two dwarves ready to axe down my front door. You see, the criminal element in Magusville has discovered that I am writing this little blog and intend to do something about it. As a wizard of the the Wizerly clan I have been sworn to secrecy about our secret wizard society (though, luckily, I have never had to take the Severe Oath – a curse that would cause me death or worse for divulging clan secrets.) I am one of a number of many wizard radicals who would befriend mankind, protect them not only from evil wizards but also from themselves. However, it would seem that the ruling Superior Magus does not, unfortunately, share our views. Excuse me, I think I hear- yes, it seems that my life will be spared for one more day. The ogre next door just helped himself to a little free lunch. I really must invite him over to tea – its wonderful having an ogre for a neighbor…well, thank the Great One that he’s on Our side, anyway.

Have yourselves a magical day, friends.

The Colour of Magic

Blue sky, blue sky, what secrets do you hold? Watching fools and sages from lofty heights untold!
– from “Wizardry Throughout the Ages”

Here in Magusville we have always been Green. That’s right, Green with a capital “G.” We wizards view ourselves as protectors of the earth, trying to undo some of the environmental damage done by some thoughtless human beings. Of course, having magic as an unlimited supply of clean natural energy certainly helps a lot. Is your garden overrun with weeds? Is your home teeming with vermin, or stuffed full of unwanted junk? Just call an earth wizard, she’ll have you tidied up in no time. Certainly, it may cost you a few drops of bat’s blood, five fingernail clippings and your firstborn child, but a wizard will get the job done right.

We also know when to leave well enough alone. We don’t mess with our enchanted forests, for example. Who knows what damage the venerable old trees would do to us if we dared to harm them? We’d have trees protesting in the streets, their roots pulling up the roads and blocking the thoroughfare. Sure, we have spellbooks that use paper, but that’s by a tree’s choice. Becoming a book is an honour reserved for the very oldest, most gnarled trees in the forest. Trees that have a story to tell. Old greybeards with tendrils of ancient moss that have more magic in one of their roots than in all the famous wizards throughout history. We love and revere our trees. We wouldn’t last long if we didn’t.

Intimations of Royalty

Today it is my great privilege to have breakfast with a fairy princess. It is not as daunting as you might think. Yes, she is startlingly beautiful, with manners and graces that only her race can achieve, but a more natural unaffected creature you could never hope to meet. She’s only three and happens to be my daughter, but that’s just some happy coincidence. She smiled at me over her bowl of granola cereal, her large eyes dancing to their depths and I am humbled and awed that such a magical creature has deigned to make my acquaintance and even enjoys my company. Where did she learn to move like that? Something about the precise movement of her hands, the graceful tilt of her head, the impromptu dance as she sits perched straight-backed in her chair reminds me that I am in the presence of royalty. I watch her reach out and touch a branch of a tree that had been a chair only moments before. She glides away into her enchanted forest-kingdom to fulfill some secret agenda, and I sigh gratefully, taking another contemplative sip of my tea. I have been given a gift.

Welcome to Magusville!

Welcome to Magusville, city-under-the-mountain and jewel of Wizardom. My own journey through Magusville has been at once perilous and fascinating. I have wrestled with witches, explored enchanted castles and argued with testy dragon-familiars. I have even seen the Kuldron mountains riding dragon-back! I hope your journey is equally frightening and amazing.

If you get a chance, visit the tea-room for a cup of fairy-tea or strong wizard’s brew. Its better than any coffee I’ve tasted (and believe me, with all my travels I am becoming something of a connoisseur!) Also, if magic books tantalize you, don’t forget to stop by the Wizerly Book Shoppe in our neighboring small-town Wizenbury.