Grandma, blackberries, & honeysuckle | Every Day Magic

Hello, lovely.

Welcome to the first installation of a new writing experiment I'm calling "Every Day Magic."

These love notes serve to raise your spirits and open your perception to the good still very prevalent in the world — even through times when the light seems to be quite dimmed by the shadow of the darkness.

It is, and has always been, my deeply held belief that even in the darkest of times, the sun always rises — and therefore, there's always something to be grateful for.

So, Reader, have you witnessed any mundane magic today?

Wondering what I mean by "mundane magic?" Let's break this down...

Mundane Magic

First, some literal definitions to ground this concept in reality. According to Merriam-Webster:

What mundane magic means to me, is simply appreciating the innate beauty and romance that exists in our average, everyday existence.

It's the practice of taking an intentional moment to stop, look around, and notice.

To pay attention to the things that are simple, ordinary, commonplace — an often overlooked part of your day — and notice how they bring about those feelings of enchantment.

Not sure you're into this?

Think of it this way...

Have you ever gone for a walk and noticed how striking the color of the blooming flowers were on a nearby bush? I bet you have.

You probably also thought, "That's nice," if you thought about it at all, and kept on walking.

But what would happen if you got a little closer?

Looked closely at the flower, tried to identify it.

What shape are the petals? Are they all intact? Are there any insects on it?

Is it dotted in fresh morning dew, or dusted in fine pollen?

What does it smell like?

Maybe the sweetness reminds you of your grandmother and how you used to take walks with her, meandering down dusty roads and picking wild blackberries from overgrown thorny bushes, or sucking sweet sap from honeysuckle. Maybe this makes you smile.

Do you see how merely noticing can spark appreciation?

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This series is about noticing.

It's about intentionally choosing the joy, wonder, and yes, magic that exists all around us, if we just to look.

It's about endeavoring to rewire our neurotransmitters to get in the habit of looking for beauty instead of ravage, hope instead of hopelessness. (But we'll talk more about neuroscience in another letter.)

What you can expect from these letters is a reflection and exploration of what I witnessed this week that made me think, smile, look twice, laugh — that moved me to tears or made me want to immediately tell my friends (you 😊).

My hope is that these letters inspire you to look for the joy in your life.

Seek out the beauty. Share it with others.

To get into a free, accessible, inalienable practice that regularly brings you happiness, romance, gratitude, optimism, and most importantly...

Every day magic.

My plan is that these letters will come to you every other Monday, though that schedule is subject to change depending on your preference. If you want more, I'll write more often.

For now, look forward to the first edition of Every Day Magic to hit your inbox this coming Monday, February 10th.

Until then, please remember — no matter how dark, dismal, or bleak it gets, there is always something to be grateful for.

The sun always rises.

And this world always needs more of your light.

Now, back to writing the cutest romance novel ever, chock full of every day magic,

Baylee ✨