You’re looking for obstacles rather than magic.
Hey cerebral readers,
The other night, I happened to watch a movie called, “My Life In Ruins.” Georgia, a college professor with man troubles, comes to Greece to be a tour guide when she loses her teaching job back in the states. Her tourists find her Greek history talks to be dull and boring, so they consistently give her bad evaluations. She doesn’t learn from her bad evaluations and continues to be out of touch with her tourists and herself. She complains that all the Greeks do is dance! If their lives are going well — they dance. If their lives are going badly — they dance.
Then she gets assigned a bedraggled bus driver named Poupi who doesn’t speak English.
O.k. I saw right through that. Poupi’s clearly a major hunk waiting to reveal his ultra hotness and life lessons to her when the right moment arrives. Despite the high predictability factor, Richard Dreyfus as a crazy but wise tourist named Irv makes the entire movie worth watching. He says to Georgia right around the time she’s noticing Poupi’s physical and emotional hotness,” You’re looking for obstacles rather than magic.” I grabbed my nearby pen and scribbled his quote down.
Loved it!
This quote can be applied to love, life and everything in between. How often do we litter our own pathways with excuses not to do something we want to do instead of just going for it? Why not seek out the magic? Why not dance all the time?
I used to be the queen of looking for obstacles. (I’d open my obstacle closet and search the shelves for just the right ones.) Crazy, painful way to live. Somehow, though, I retrained myself to look for the magic instead, the magic I saw as child. And I loved to dance as a child.
Magic and dancing. Dancing and magic. Hey, they go together. I’m with the Greeks, let’s dance no matter what’s going on in our lives. Letting your body and soul go can only fill your life with magic.
How about you? Do you look for magic? Do you dance?
Muse thanks, G.
RSS
Well, I don’t dance, but I have a bum hip to use as an excuse for that. Instead, I do yoga, bum hip and all.
I have to admit, though, that I still see obstacles sometimes. Take this novel-writing thing. I’ve been fighting the same procrastination urge over the last year that I fought for the ten before that, only I’ve conveniently removed all of my fall-back positions this time. It’s that old “if I never start, I can’t fail” non-logic. This time I decided to climb without a rope though. This time I either break through it or fail gloriously.
I suppose that’s a way of dancing, or at least a way of not leaving myself any other option than to dance.
Thanks, G. I needed this one.
Hey Michael,
But of course! There are many ways to dance. I feel free when I dance so anything that unencumbers feels like dance to me. Maybe start writing by writing about what’s keeping you from writing. Non-dominant hand writing helps free up the mind as well. Resistance usually holds some kind of clue. Like your rope metaphor. Did you say at some point that you were a mountain climber? If you could take a journal on the climb … G.
I love the idea of dancing whenever and all the time – in my life it is singing more than dancing. Songs are a part of life regardless. it is hard to find reasons not to do something when you are busy singing – just as it is hard to strategize on the best blocks and excuses when you are dancing.
My daughter’s great grandfather used to say “I want results, not excuses.” I believe it is something to think about – if we took the time we give excuses and chaneled it toward results… imagine what would happen?
Hi TE,
So, we are both singers! Some other folks that write amazing comments here are also singers. We dance with our voices for sure. Like what your daughter’s GG said.You are so right that something pretty amazing would happen if we replaced excuses with results.
How does the unfine art of excuses start? Must be somewhere in childhood. I wanted to do everything and found the elders of the world kept trying to rein me in. Maybe it could be stopped since that doesn’t help the world. I say, let folks go and see where that takes them …
Thx, G.
I think you would love (if you haven’t found it already) to receive “Notes from the Universe.” Check out the Adventurers Club website (www.tut.com) They send me daily reminders to see the magic. And, of course, you do, too!
ps, thanks for turning me on to comment luv!
Hi Angie,
I read on a blog somewhere that Common Luv is a way to give back to commenters! They get to mention their own blogs. Good incentive to write intriguing titles. And commenters have the option of turning it off. Will check out TUT. Think a friend of mine subscribes to it and enjoys it. Thx. G.
OK I am now going to go dance! LOVE to dance but I don’t dance as much as I should. Fortunately for me, my little Boxer dog loves to dance too, so if I go downstairs right now and start snapping my fingers or singing, she’ll be waiting for me to open my arms (we figured out how to dance together–it’s hysterical).
I love this–and I saw in the comments that you know about non-dominant hand writing–awesome. Ever use your non-dominant big toe to shut off lights or flush the toilet lmao
Seriously, I know what you mean. I make excuses all the time, and I do have some serious challenges going on but I still keep plugging away, even if I have a down moment or day sometimes. Gotta do it! What choice do we have? Damned if I’m going to stop dancing, partner or no partner (that’s what cute little doggies are for! Rock and roll 🙂
Feel more cheerful now, thanks 🙂 Have two sick cats and it ain’t easy!
Leah,
Don’t animals love music and dance? Cute about your boxer. My cats come running into the room when I sing or dance. Valentino (alpha kitty) loves to be picked up, slung over the shoulder and twirled around. He’s got a truly adventurous soul. Keep dancing. Your life partner will find you on the dance floor of life. Thanks! G.
I learned to dance and about magical thinking in Mexico from my ex-husband, the most carefree soul I ever met. At least it kept our spirits up in down times though his “manana”/Leave it for tomorrow mentality was our undoing. I also remember dancing with my dog, Romeo, (despite his reluctance to get up on his hind legs) to the strains of “Brazil” when things were grim. Music and singing can work wonders. Take you out of self. So what about obstacles? They are meant to be overcome.
Hi Penelope,
Like your new blog post title! Will check it out.
Your ex sounds like he had an interesting perspective on life. His teaching you about magical thinking would make a great essay, weaving the music you danced to throughout. That could be a mini-book!
As someone said, “Music makes the world go round.” If we dance, we don’t have time to fight …
G.
Beautiful quote and you definitely get what you look for.
In fact, Edward de Bono has a technique called PMI … where you switch what you look for on purpose:
– Plus points
– Minus points (the obstacles)
– Interesting points
It’s a simple way to explore the positive, negative, and just plain curious in any situation.
Hey J.D.,
I like your quote, “You get what you look for.” I’ve experienced that in my own life. It took a lot of mental strength to readjust my sights, but it can be done.
Just checked out Edward de Bono. Got some neat book titles. Will pursue reading some of them. The PMI technique makes good sense.
You’re an endless resource of fab information! Thx. G.
Good morning Giulietta! I am a huge fan of Magic ~ I look for it everywhere, I see it everywhere and I try to sprinkle some of my own for anyone who is also seeking the dazzle and enchantment in every day life.
I dance, I sing, I laugh ~ and I tend to be able to feel happy in spite of whatever may be going on around me.
I also subscribe to Tut.com ~ and love how the messages sometimes speak directly to something I’ve started thinking about. Magic!
Many blessings …
Hi Sally,
I love your relationship with magic! Wish more folks could see and touch it like you do. As children we can mingle with it so easily. And you’re another Tut reader! My terrific commenters all seem to be interwoven in the Universe Rug. For example, I wrote an essay over the weekend with a moon theme! Now I see your Comment Luv post called “Slow dancing with the Moon.” (Why I luv comment luv!) Intriguing title that draws me in. I’m going to stop by and read it.
Thx for the visit. G.