So here I am, jet lagged, but otherwise all in one piece. The dates though are another matter. It’s still the 8th in the US, but it is already 9th back in India. Hmm.. should I wait for 9th to dawn here to post the 9th blog or stick to Indian time schedule? Questions, questions!

In the meantime, here’s a picture I took at the Dubai airport. This colourful plane, and what was written on it, caught my eye. Apparently this was how Emirates Airlines took the Expo 2020 Dubai’s message to the skies. I was seeing it for the first time.

As eye catching as the colours are, it is the message that really caught my attention. Be Part Of the Magic. Yes, one always wants to be part of the magic. But…the question (there it is, another of those questions!) is, WHAT is magic?

What’s magic for one need not be magic for another. For some it is looking up to the universe to make things happen the way they want it to. For others it is pixie dust and fairies. For yet others it is a magician pulling a rabbit out of an empty hat or cutting a woman in half with a saw in front of an open-mouthed audience. For others it is the glitter and glamour of show business and the lives of the rich and famous.

For me magic is when ordinary individuals in their own capacity shake up things around them enough to make changes for the better. Sometimes in a small way, sometimes in a huge manner, but changes nevertheless in the right direction. It needs courage, an inner courage to speak up, go against the grain, fight the powerful and ruthless, I am in awe of that magic whenever I see it happen.

I have nothing against other kinds of magic. Believe in it, be part of it. Enjoy. There’s nothing wrong with doing so. Just make sure to never be the indifferent deadwood that doesn’t care about REAL magic happening around you. Most of all do not be the deadwood that actually stops that magic from happening. It is the only magic that makes things better all around for every one of us.

©️ Shail Mohan 2024