Abracadabra has ruined the art of magic.
That’s because magic isn’t embedded in a cutesy catch phrase, or a deck of trick cards. To me, magic is a force. It is something that weaves itself effortlessly through space and time. In certain moments, this force crash-lands in the bedroom of a young writer. Other times, it may glide through the canvas and capture the eye of a painter; triggering some stroke of genius to inspires their generation!
Magic is alive and well. This magic is home to the sweet spot I try to stay in while creating my art.
This is magic. When I take a road trip; the windows are down and it’s just me. I slide “Room For Squares,” into my CD player. Something happens. Every time, some force takes over and suddenly I’m 17 again. I’m driving home from high school, and I’m singing “My Stupid Mouth” as loud as my squeaky voice can carry throughout the car.
This is magic. When I head home to Cincinnati, and I revisit a spot where I first kissed the girl I fell in love with. There’s a moment in time that is forever frozen for me in that spot. It will always be September there. Leaves will always be falling, and I will always see the blue eyes giving me that, “I am so in love with you,” stare. I remember the park benches, the parked cars we spooned passed, and the gravel pavement we spun around on; dancing at night as if an orchestra was behind us. But it was just us; in a single moment nestled into a single evening of my life.
This is magic. When I head into a theatre, recalling in my head how my day was and what I know I have to do tomorrow. Then I become captured by the story. And the music is compelling and then she says, “You had me at hello,” and I feel she said just said it to me! Then suddenly I’m outside with friends marveling at the beauty of the writing and how amazing the experience was. And life, for a few hours, becomes perfect and nothing can intrude on its beauty.
Magic is the exclamation mark in the paragraph of life.
Magic has never come out of a top hat. Magic is the presence of something greater than myself, which shows up, surrounds me for a while, and then leaves me with a joy that cannot be explained in words. It’s the edge of the creative cliff that borders around everyday life. This is magic.
I love magic. So, I want to create in the presence of it. I want to create stories that draw people in so much so that they have to push repeat, because they think I may have just read their diary. Or their thoughts. Or something to that effect.
This is the beauty of creating, and being a part of something creative. It’s a brilliant motion like a painting, that when the perfect brush stroke hits, it speaks louder than the color that comes out. It becomes something timeless.
My name, Jason, in Greek means “The Healer.” I believe this is Life telling me how to live out my name. To create art that imitates life. Imitates hope. To relay a message that allows people to connect passed their jobs and maybe a common interest in sports teams; but to share a connection that goes deeper than the skin of a person. I want to be used to inspire the souls of people, so that they may see their potential and inspire others to do the same.
Living in love and creation is true magic. And for as long as I live, I will never give up in my belief of it being real.
“If your creative expression is not inspiring people, then you are most likely not living in your true purpose.”
-Jason O’Toole
(Source: memoir.jasonotoole.com)
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