Finding Magic

I love finding things. I rarely return from a walk without something in my hand or my pocket. I have a basket full of sticks in my dining room. The table on my deck is covered with odd shaped rocks. My favorite find, though, is feathers. I have a vase full of them. Finch, Blue Jay, Hawk, Owl, Goose, and one very red Cardinal feather, that looks garishly fake against the earth tones of the others. I'm always surprised when I find a feather. What a gift. So soft, but yet so strong. Capable of flight. Freedom. Magic.

On today's stroll through the woods, there were no feathers. Instead I found a potato chip, a heart shaped dog tag, its blue paint worn off, with only part of the letters and numbers visible, and an 8 of spades playing  card. Random? Perhaps. But I pondered each item, wondering their purpose on my path today.

Trudy ate the potato chip before I could discern who's silhouette it resembled. It hadn't been on the path too long, as it crunched when her sharp canines devoured it.

I picked up the worn dog tag. I tried to decipher what letters I could, while rubbing its slickness between my fingers. I couldn't make out any name or number, but I'm sure its owner was older, to be wearing such a piece of faded collar bling. Obviously, he came before us on this journey. Maybe he was clearing the path of danger for me and my pup. I placed his tag on the bridge railing, hoping for another walk for him to find it and claim it.

The eight of spades. A playing card. Or, maybe a working card, belonging to a magician. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. The number 8 represents infinity. No limits. Endless.  Rather quickly, my thoughts turned from potato chips, old dogs and magic tricks, to "infinity and beyond." The circle of life.

I have to trust that I am on the right path. I'm so grateful my friend Trudy is still by my side. Keeping the path clear of chips, so I can ponder the important things like dog tags and playing cards.

As we came out of the woods this morning, I looked up and saw a beautiful cloud shaped like a feather. A wispy, whiteness against a blue jay colored sky. Magic. Now...for just a little while.