
"Miracles... seem to me to rest not so much upon... healing power coming suddenly near us from afar but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that, for a moment, our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there around us always.”
Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
I recently pulled out my worn, well-marked and beloved copy of this Willa Cather classic.
Does magic exist? Are miracles real?
I believe that the answer to both questions is "yes".
Stories provide readers with the opportunity to step into the very real world of wonder and enchantment.
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
![]() | Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley weaves a spell around readers as they follow young Micah on his quest to discover the circus of his grandfather's childhood. He hopes to lay claim to the miracle that his grandfather was promised so long ago. "You have to believe it to see it". |
1. Where there is hope, there are miracles.
"Something magical, he reminded himself. Maybe a new story. Maybe something happy."
2. Sometimes the most unexpected event can be a miracle.
"I've got a fish...Will that work?"
3. Miracles defy logic.
"There must be a logical explanation for this."
4. Miracles are not a question of size.
"Just because magic is small doesn't mean it is unimportant,"
5. The time table for magic is indeterminate.
"It means it's good for as long as it's good," he said. "And then it's not."
6. Magic requires faith.
"As if we did not already know that faith is such a fragile thing," he murmured.
7. Magic means enjoying the moment.
"Because when you try too hard to hold on to something, you break it."
8. Memories are tied to magic. Magic is tied to memories.
"I've never seen anything like this in all my days. You've put memories into a bit of leather. Don't you see how remarkable that is?"
9. Magic is meant to be shared.
"What do you think magic is?"
"I guess it's what's inside of people like you," he replied. "The parts of you that are too big to keep to yourself."