My post today is about magic – the true magic that occurs when Life is allowed to flow freely. Even irresolvable problems, like mine this week, are no match for it.
Since I got married six years ago, I’ve been living mostly between my apartment in France and my husband’s home in England. While this may sound exotic and exciting, it’s actually become quite exhausting. Ian and I have known we needed to make one new home together but still haven’t managed to do so.
Then, last summer during my US book tour, it became clear to me that I need to spend more time in the US to take The Wheel of Creativity to the next level. I realized that I had to take hold of the decision to sell Ian’s house so we could move forward with our lives.
So last Autumn we put the house on the market. In November, Ian went back to sea and I went back to France. By December, we had accepted an offer, and we were on our way.
At the beginning of February I returned to England to sort and pack and close up the house for the sale. Both our buyers and we have circumstances beyond our control and non-negotiable dates. Additional delays began to make the preferred completion date seem unreachable.
By Tuesday, after several attempts to negotiate a solution that would work for both parties, we had not managed to do so. Stress levels were rising on both sides. So when the buyers came to visit the house that day, I decided to absent myself.
I was clear that my intention, through all the rough waters, was for them to buy this home, move in and be happy here. But emotions were strong. As I was walking out the door, I had an intuition. I overrode my habitual “No, it’s not important” and left a handwritten note, one human being to another, expressing what was on my heart. I assured them that “while our circumstances are challenging at the moment” we are committed to this sale and working things through.
I’ve been here before in my life. It takes me a while, but eventually the moment comes when I recognize that a situation is beyond my control. Then I let go and trust the process. That moment came for me on Tuesday. I let go and waited for the magic to appear.
And today it did. Today we have agreed to a tentative completion date in early April. While previously this was not an option for them, today it works; and for us it means that Ian will be able to come home one more time to this house before we let it go. It’s more than we might have expected, and an outcome that all our forcing would never have achieved. It’s true magic.
True magic occurs not through sleight of hand but through a change of heart. It mends broken pieces and solves irresolvable problems. It occurs in surrender. The moment when you finally let Life flow is such a relief. And then, a few days or weeks or months or years down the road, when more than you hoped for arrives, it is bliss.
So I share this story to encourage you to take that irresolvable problem in your life and let Life flow through it. See what true magic can do for you.