I grew up on a steady diet of fairies in the garden, lions in the wardrobe, Psammeads and Whangdoodles, flying carpets and talking phoenixes. In fact, real food never interested me all that much; fantasy was nourishment for my spirit, and that was enough. (Except for chocolate – but of course chocolate is a necessary accoutrement to reading.)

When I think on it now, it seems to me the characters in my favorite stories echoed my own secret longing for a magical solution. I wanted to be rescued by Aslan, or Gandalf. I wanted to be schooled by Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which. And yet the point of all those stories was to teach the characters that real solutions come from within.  

Meg had to save Charles Wallace with her own fierce love.

Frodo had to discover the strength to resist the allure of the One Ring.

Lucy had to trust herself even when no one else believed her.

In other words:

“We are the music makers,
and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
Willy Wonka

(Check out this site on the origins of the WW quote, and follow the link in the article to read the full poem, which is a kindred spirit to this post: http://www.rebeatmag.com/9-iconic-willy-wonka-quotes-and-their-little-known-origins/)

Ultimately, it’s up to us – all of us music makers and dreamers of dreams – to find our own inner magic, and figure out how to be the heroes in our own adventures. If we wait around for a dragon or a wizard (or a political leader) to save us, we’ll never discover the courage and wisdom to feed the hungry, and free the oppressed, and work toward a more just and peaceful world.  

Now to find my magic wand. I’m sure it’s here somewhere, in the closet with all the gossamer fancies of my childhood  . . . .

Image by vchal; thumbnail photo by Jez Timms