The Magic in You! is the story of a flower that has taken root by a roadway at the edge of a beautiful forest. She is small
in comparison to the other flowers and is teased for her insignificant stature. A Billy goat comes along and eats one of her pretty golden petals. Then a car drives by and runs over one of her leaves, leaving the flower in quite a forlorn state. Sometimes people come into our lives with every intention of “running us over”, just like the rude car. They drain us emotionally as well as spiritually. When they are finished, they leave us broken and distraught. How can we ever heal from such a painfully disastrous experience, especially when the perpetrators are long gone and there is no one left to confront? People also come into our lives that make selfish decisions, like Mr. Billy goat. They give no thought to the consequences that their actions may have on the people around them. As a result the victim is left feeling used, or violated. Unless the abuser is truly sorry, then reconciliation may still not be possible. At this point, if we are not anchored in our worth, a variety of thoughts and emotions can wreak havoc within us. We may even wonder if the incident was actually our own fault, leading us to deeper
despair. At times self protective behavior may start to surface and, like a wounded animal we may lash out at others in an attempt to protect our wounds. In the little flower’s despair she begins to cry, which gains the attention of a nearby woodland fairy. “‘Why are you crying little flower?’ ‘Well,’ began the little flower, ‘I just don’t know why I am growing here, by the side of the road, I mean. All the other flowers make fun of me. I wasn’t feeling very pretty, and I wasn’t feeling very smart….’ ‘Maybe.’ the little flower continued, ‘you could wave your magic wand and make me beautiful. Then I would surely be happy.’ ‘Oh, no,’ replied the fairy as she gracefully poised herself to fly away. ‘You do not need my magic to become beautiful, or happy. You can become a happy, beautiful little flower any time you want.’” With these thoughtful words planted in the little flower, fortuitous events begin to unfold, and the little flower quickly learns that though her circumstances may be less than ideal, she has the power to affect the lives of other living creatures by what she can give—kindness, love, and most of all,
forgiveness. The answer to the despair that lingers from the pain of having been the victim will always be forgiveness. We first need to let go of our self protective habits by forgiving ourselves for things we may have done to others. Only after acquiring grace for ourselves can we find the grace to forgive others. We are never too young to learn that forgiveness will always be more for ourselves than for those who have hurt us. This is the timeless message of this poignantly illustrated story that transcends a reader’s age. One reason why the story touches on such a deep level is surely due to some of my own life struggle for self-acceptance after years of spousal abuse. We all have a choice; to remain the victim or find the courage to accept ourselves with all our faults and all the wounds we have received from others. It wasn’t until I understood how much my Creator loved me and accepted me, with all of my faults, that I was able to find the same grace for myself and for others. My children’s story demonstrates the struggle to live a victorious life. The magic discovered by this delicate little flower is not only her story, but my story, too. Perhaps it is yours as well!