Ad Hoc Magic
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Hello friends, Folklore tells us of magical cities and villages that appear out of nowhere, and disappear again. I like to think that these stories are rooted in real events and real communities. I myself, have found magic in such places, time and time again. Last week, I was off grid at a lovely camping event in a small valley surrounded by tree filled mountains. There was a creek, and on the forest paths, some community members had planted ceramic toadstools, squirrels embracing acorns, and a wide variety of gnomes. This was temporary magic, both the ephemeral tent city with waving banners, and the stone and ceramic creatures that lined the woodland paths leading to burbling water. All that magic is gone now, but will reappear next year. There is another magical space that happens in my city each week. It’s a free community store. There are two of these free stores, actually, one of which is consistently harassed by law enforcement. The conveners don’t care. They keep showing up, regardless, because community matters more than restrictive laws. Yesterday, I rode my bicycle to the free store closest to my neighborhood, which so far seems able to exist in peace. My basket carried pre-loaded neck cooling scarves and some electrolyte packets to beat the heat. And there, just past the confluence of a bike corridor, a freeway, and a busy street, stood an oasis in a shady spot. Folks were setting up racks of clothing, back packs, books, and food, all to give away. “Here it is,” I thought. “Brigadoon.” Community magic is my favorite kind. We are artists who can make things appear and disappear. We are compassionate beings who make magic to delight and help each other. This is why so many of my books feature found and chosen family. We all need places to belong, however temporarily. We greet each other, and recognize our humanity and our place in this world. Together, we make the magic that we choose. Best wishes — Thorn Want some fiction? There's still time to get this limited-time, sliding scale, Unusual Heroes StoryBundle!
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T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, Well, it was another stressful week here in the US and some other parts of the globe. When things feel overwhelming, what is important to me is to connect with what is in my physical environment. I make my bed in the morning. I wipe the kitchen counters. I set things in order. What else do I do? I make sure I go for a walk, even when I have a pile of work to do that feels endless. It is on these walks that, not only do I notice my environment, but I also catch sight of how...
Hello friends, On an old garage somewhere in Southeast Portland, someone hand lettered a large message. The bulk of it reads “Matter would not have become us if it doubted our ability to change…” Now, on one hand it reads as the start of a philosophical discussion I would’ve engaged in during my teens or early twenties. On the other hand, though? Well, it made me pause and snap a photo, didn’t it? Photo: Garage wall message: “Matter would not have become us if it doubted our ability to...
Hello friends, While walking out of an ice cream shop yesterday, I saw a faded scrap of fabric stapled to a utility pole. People had stuck their old wood ice cream spoons into holes in the pole around the fabric, creating a mini art and sculpture installation. I recognized the fabric, of course, as being an old piece from local artist Shanalee Hampton. I have several of her embroidery pieces hanging in our home, having been introduced to her work by outdoor installations just like this one....