Ever feel like the magic has gone out of the world?
Like there isn’t anything deeper to connect to than the mundane minutiae of life?
If you think you’re alone in that, it might help to notice that almost all of the biggest stories of the 20th century begin with that idea. That magic has leaked out of the world. A few examples:
*The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings: The rings of power, forged in an age of lost magic, are all gone and darkness is rising…
*Star Wars: The Jedi have been gone for decades, the Force thought to be a myth by almost all…
*Harry Potter: The muggle world, with it’s casual cruelty, utterly lacks any hint of the magical spark…
*Game of Thrones: The age of magic is long past, humans live amidst the ruins of it’s workings: The Wall; the skulls of giant dragons.. and to the North darkness is rising…
*The Matrix: The monochrome reality of life is a crushing prison, devoid of the remarkable…
Why do we find this setup so compelling?
We obviously do… those are some of the biggest franchises of all time, so they must be tapping into a cultural zeitgeist of some kind.
Maybe it’s because we believe it to be true. Perhaps we want movies that reflect reality, and we DO believe that the magic has left the world.
But maybe it’s what happens next in those stories that calls to us… They only begin with the lack of Magic, but they end with its re-emergence:
*The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings: The One Ring makes its way to an unlikely hero whose fellowship keeps its great and terrible power from evil.
*Star Wars: With help from companions, a young hero rediscovers The Force and becomes a Jedi Master
*Harry Potter: The downtrodden boy is chosen to enter a world of magic and friendship, leaving mundanity behind
*Game of Thrones: Dragons are reborn into the world, and with them the magic and the heroes to confront the darkness.
*The Matrix: The hero exchanges his comfortable lie for a devastating truth, and the belief of his companions helps him discover that he is The One.
What’s that all about? Is it just wish fulfillment force fed to us by Hollywood? Do we love false hope so much that we are irresistibly drawn to it?
That’s one theory.
But if we were driven purely by wish fulfillment, our favorite stories would be those in which the hero’s journey leads them up and up and up…
But that’s not what we like at all. We like to see the toil, the struggle, the pain… and only then do we enjoy the triumph. Just look at the examples above!
So I have a better theory.
What we’re drawn to is the noble struggle; the process that leads to the victory, not the victory itself. That’s the wisdom we’re drawn to in these stories.
We know it’s true, but don’t believe: the acceptance of the call to adventure is a wellspring that brings magic back into the world.
And no one does it alone.
That’s what those stories all say, over and over:
Leave the desert —find the Force;
Take the Red Pill —be a hero;
Follow the wizard — save the world.
There is magic in the beginning of adventures, in engagement with the world, in stepping outside of the “safe” confines of the known, and into something new. Even when it’s only a new part of yourself.
Even when danger lurks and despair beckons, the adventure justifies the strife. It beats back the darkness.
It’s not that we want desperately to believe that. It’s that we KNOW it to be true.
But it terrifies us to the very core of our being. Do the scariest thing — reap the greatest reward. In our own lives the enormity of that paralyzes us, but we watch it on screen and rejoice.
So, what if it really is true? What if a world of magic is right there waiting for us, if only we can find the courage to reach out and learn it’s secrets. A magic that not only strengthens us, but keeps the darkness at bay…
Only one thing is for certain. You never find out if you never leave the Shire.
So accept the call. Avoid regret with every step. Take the big adventure that’s in front of you.
Bring the magic back into the world. You’re the only one who can save us.
*****
The magic in life is there for the taking, if you only learn how to look. The Stories you love can help point the way.This free guide to the technique of Smart Streaming puts that ability at your fingertips. Good luck on your journey 🙂
