Magic

I took my daughter to our local magic store today. It was... I suppose necessary isn't the word, but, we really needed it. 

Magic is important for the two of us for a few reasons.  First, it's a little language we can share. Something (like Pokemon and Yo-Kai Watch) that's really just for us to talk about and cherish. Our own special thing, that I hope one day she shares with her kids, and so on. 

The bigger reasons, though, and certainly the reasons for today's trip, is to teach my little girl three important lessons.  One, there is always joy and wonder to be found in the world.  Even with a few simple tools... some pieces of paper, foam balls, and metal cups can add up to a feeling of joy and exhilaration like almost nothing in the world. 

Two, most times that joy and wonder is a trick. But that doesn't make it a bad thing. We get tricked and fooled every day. But, in magic and in the real world, those tricks fall into a few basic categories, and once you can recognize them, you see them everywhere.  The inner workings of humanity itself can be observed. Identified. Learned. Adapted. Manipulated.

Three, responsibility with what you've learned.  She learns the tricks, performs the tricks, and, most importantly, learns how to use them to give others that feeling of joy and delight. And with that, the realization that part of what makes the trick magic is not sharing that with your audience.  Leave them amazed, because what's going on back stage... is usually pretty pedestrian.

So, I took her there today to show her that while the world is in a state of chaos and unrest, there is still beauty. But, there are also still tricks. Now she just has to learn the difference.