On the Importance of Fairytales

Every man's life is a fairytale written by God's fingers.

~ Hans Christian

Yes, I woke up early.  And on purpose for once!  I enjoyed chitchatting on Facebook this morning, oohing and ahhing about the details of the Royal Wedding.  I'm not really drawn to the whole Royal lineage thing, I do prefer my democratic land.  But.. I embrace the fairytale. 

Although I understand and agree with the arguments of sheltering our daughters from the fantasies of a knight in shining armor coming to save the day.  I whole heartedly embrace indendence, fortitude, and taking your own life by the reigns.  However, for me there are two important reasons why the fairytale of this day I embrace as well. 

First, every day there are numerous reasons for our spirits to be dampened.  This week it has been these horrific tornados.  It may be illness, financial troubles, relationship issues, or job loss.  Every day life gives us quite a platter of appetizers to give us spiritual nausea.  When given an opportunity to exercise joy, I will take it!  The joy of a beautiful dress, the joy of  a brother glancing to another with a smile,  the joy of a mass of people saying "your happiness is also mine"...

Secondly, stepping into a fairytale is the willingness to be open to the unexpected.  It is the belief that as many as there twists of fate to knock us off our feet, there are also those twists of synchronisity that take us to lands we never would have imagined.  Seeing and experiencing these moments of magic is a matter of choice. 

It's ironic that I am creating with old newspapers this week as I prepare for the interactive I will be leading at the next ArtLoveMagic Art & Coffee event a week from today.  I'm taking all this mass of written information.. mostly not of the joyful sort, and transforming it into something new, and exciting. 

What dream will you step into today?

Only those who truly love and who are truly strong can sustain their lives as a dream.  You dwell in your own enchantment.  Life throws stones at you, but your love and your dream change those stones into the flowers of discovery.  Even if you lose, or are defeated by things, your triumph will always be exemplary.  and if no one knows it, then there are places that do.  People like you enrich the dream of the worlds, and it is dreams that create history.  People like you are unknowing transformers of things, protected by your own fairytale, by love.

~ Ben Okri