Yes, you.
The person who looks in the mirror each morning and says, “ugh.” The person who takes out the trash and curses when the bag breaks. The same human being who occasionally wonders if there’s anything beyond this crazy world and why that other guy at work got the promotion.
You are magic, even with all of your fears and doubts and flaws. How do I know?
Because the other day I ran to the UPS store, bowed emotionally by my husband’s illness and medical bills and slow work and a necessary decision about downsizing our living arrangements (the thought of moving into a 55+ community townhouse makes me want to go jump out of an airplane or whiten my teeth or get everything lifted all at once).
Then you opened the door for me because I was carrying two packages, and you smiled. You joked about the cold weather, and told me how your dog hops through the snow, his legs straight as a board. And I started to laugh.
The laughter released endorphins down my spine as it tends to do, and I felt better.
You are magic.
You are the little girl who peeked over her mother’s shoulder at Kroger, just as I was about to clock the woman behind me for repeatedly bumping me with her basket. Because of you, instead of going to grocery jail, I just smiled.
And as we made eye contact, I felt a universal secret between the two of us.
You are the waitress whose bright demeanor always makes me feel welcome at the restaurant I frequent for breakfast. You know my order, and sit down with me to discuss the man ranting in the corner about racial issues. And you say, “You know he thinks terrorism was caused by women in the workplace,” and we laugh.
Yes, you are all these people.
So, the next time you look in the mirror, know that you are not just a coworker or a husband or a wife or a tax-payer or a waitress or a teacher or a 55+ community townhouse-owner.
You can change a person’s day in a split-second of eye contact. You can bring joy to another soul with one sentence.Your laughter can spread like a stomach virus with better results.
You.
You are magic.