Childhood is a time of magic, when tooth fairies dance upon our pillows and angels tuck us in at night. If only we remained so trusting of that which mortal eyes fail to discern. But, sadly, life has a wont of chiseling away at the magic. And when one’s world no longer holds such splendor, the human spirit
begins its decline…
I remember clearly the moment I relinquished that last quantum of magic which I had so desperately clung to, as though possessing some innate understanding of its importance. Life had delivered one hard blow upon another, until one day this weary fighter made a conscious decision to stay down for the count. No longer burned the flame of the human spirit. No longer existed the warrior within, fueled by the power of the magic.
I had reached a point in my life where I had grown deeply disillusioned, struggling at best to hide behind the veil of a smile. I no longer recognized the eyes that stared back from the mirror or the 200-pound form standing before me which had replaced the familiar. Even more concerning was the deafening stillness within my soul. Perhaps it is this silence, more than anything, which captures a vigilant God’s attention.
~Never had I been so in need of a hero--and so unaware of the presence of one.~
We are not placed here on earth, then expected to weather this great journey with solely ourselves to rely upon. Life, my friends, is a tag-team event. But the years can make us lose sight of that important truth. Thus, in my darkest hour, I was unmindful that in my corner, steadfast and with hand extended, stood my greatest ally. In a world that leaves too many victims in its wake, this story easily
could have ended differently, for in failing to remain loyal to what I believed as a child, I strayed from that conviction vital to survival:
~When all else fails, trust in the magic.~
I’m not certain how or why God gets lumped in with tooth fairies and sleepy-time angels… Nevertheless, with the passing years, He sometimes finds himself misplaced amongst those childhood delicacies the mind creates from need. Perhaps the explanation rests within ourselves and whether we possess the ability to put our faith in that which we may not fully understand. Indeed, a relationship with God may very well require a child's propensity to believe in magic in order to trust in an alliance based solely on blind faith. Tooth fairies and sleepy-time angels fade in brilliance with time, as the years of magic are released to make way for adulthood. And regrettably, it may be necessary that some of what delicately graced those early years be abandoned in order to move forward. But one would do well to hold fast to at least one childhood super hero.