I never know when the magic will appear. For me "magic" is a moment of clarity. The other day, my cousin Mick, his wife and their twin, six year-old daughters, Chloe and Whitney stayed with us in our Charleston home. Now that my children are grown, I missed the kinetic energy emanating from kids and welcomed their arrival. Besides, our home had been too peaceful and perhaps a tad too tidy. Daisy our terror-of-a-terrier was getting chubby from the lack of doggy aerobics... being chased around the house by little ones.
After lunch and a chilly horse, drawn carriage tour of Charleston we piled back into Mick's van. We drove to King Street. Mick needed to have his glasses repaired and Chloe wanted to go shopping with Mom. I elected to stay warm in the van with Whitney.
I was sitting in the front passenger seat Whitney in the back of the van was loudly, rummaging around and asked if I wanted to see the shells she found the day before on a North Carolina beach. Before I opened my mouth to say "yes", she had already climbed into the driver's seat and on her lap was a large, frayed, zip-lock bag filled with sand and shells. She looked up at me with her bang, fringed face, her blue cat-eyes wide and asked reverently "Do you want to see the most beautiful shell, ever?"
"Oh course, I do." I replied. Anyone who knows me well, also knows that I cherish the ritual of collecting shells. I love searching for the most perfect form and color. I can walk for hours on the beach with my head cocked downwards searching for Mother Earth's unique jewels. So, naturally I was excited to marvel at Whitney's find.
Whitney dug deeply into her treasures and intently looked for a particular shell. I watched as she closed her fingers around it, and raised her hand to my face opening her palm to reveal... a broken, hunk of a large clam shell! I wasn't quite sure if she had chosen the right one until I looked up at her radiant smile and twinkling eyes and realized, 'This is her most beautiful shell'.
WHAMP! At that moment I was surrounded by the magic of seeing the shell through her non-judgmental eyes. This fragment of a shell was as beautiful as the whole; it's essence was still intact through its colors and textures. I too, saw the beauty of the shell.
I looked at Whitney and silently thanked her for being my teacher; for revealing that perfection is the intrinsic nature of the object. I gazed into Whitney's eyes and said "Whitney, this is the most beautiful shell I have ever seen!" She smiled and knew I meant it.
