On Miracles

"There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle, The other is as though everything is a miracle. I believe in the latter."

-- Albert Einstein

In my family I have the privilage/dubious distinction of being the eldest of 10 cousins on my father's side of the family. Thus, I have changed countless diapers as the family babysitter and have fond memories of watching my cousins grow up.

On Friday, which was July 4th, I was reminded of one of my favorite memories of one of my cousins. When a particular little one was just a tot we took him to a baseball game that was followed by fireworks. I'm not sure if he had ever seen fireworks before that evening or not since he had spent the first couple of years of his life in Uganda, Africa, but regardless of the question of novelty, his reaction was priceless. After the first one burst in the air he said, "It's a miricle!" in a wistful and awestruck tone like I have never heard before or since. It was of course adorable at the time, but I suspect it has stuck with me all these years (said child is now in college) because it was so much more poignant than cute.

He really believed it was a miracle. Any of us could have told him what he surely knows now, which is that there is a clear and understandable scientific explanation for what he saw. And I suppose that is the reason that so few of us truly believe in miracles as adults. At some point we learn that the magician isn't magical, its all a clever trick. And of course Santa AND the Easter Bunny turn out to be Mom and Dad. Yet sometimes it saddens me when I remember believing in magic and fairies.

What is interesting is that no one teaches us how to see the miracles that are all around us. The marriages that last, the single parents that raise amazing kids, the people who make the world a better place. The rare people who love each other unconditionally. Those crazy people who belive in peace.............

Our lives are a miracle, I guess sometimes we miss that when our wisdom and experience get in the way.