It seemed almost supernatural. But then I was only five years old, and I’d never seen a magic trick before. Sitting across from my Uncle Bob at the wooden kitchen table in my grandparents’ house in Indianapolis, Indiana, I was about to be introduced to the impossible.
“Wanna see a trick?” he whispered. I watched in awe as a coin vanished from his hand then reappeared behind my ear. The simplest of tricks, but for an impressionable little boy, it might as well have been a miracle. Uncle Bob was no David Copperfield. He wasn’t famous for his enchantments. In fact, he wasn’t famous at all—just an average nice guy with a love of magic and for us kids in the family. I didn’t have the privilege of living near Uncle Bob as I grew up, so I only saw him from time to time. But, although my interest in magic flared then subsided in cycles over the years, the spark he lit was never entirely quenched by the distractions that came with growing up. In my mid-thirties, the flame intensified, and I began getting serious about becoming more than a performer of pocket tricks. Eventually, this burgeoning passion matured into more sophisticated magical fare, ultimately evolving into mentalism. I was traveling through Indianapolis one summer a few years ago and stopped by Uncle Bob’s modest little house to see how he was doing. It was the same home he’d lived in since before I was born. His failing health and age-etched face displayed every one of his eighty-some years. But even the physical toll of the decades that had passed couldn’t obscure my memory of an impish magician peeking out from his eyes.
Over the years, my mom had kept him abreast of my performances, but he’d never seen me perform. After a few moments of catching up, I leaned over and said, “Wanna see a trick?”
He smiled and answered, “You bet.”
We sat down on the floor, and I shared a few mysteries with him. His ancient eyes brightened, almost like those of a five year old child seeing his first magic trick. “See what you started,” I joked.
He smiled again.
The hour or so we spent on the floor that afternoon will remain with me as one of my most memorable performances. Nothing fancy—I’m really not an accomplished sleight of hand artist. But for Uncle Bob, it was special. The next summer, I was scheduled to be in the area again. I called ahead to invite him to dinner at a nearby magic-themed restaurant. Somehow our wires got crossed, and I mistakenly thought that he had canceled our appointment. I later learned that Uncle Bob had dressed up for the occasion, sat down on the living room couch, and waited patiently, but in vain, for me to arrive, then shuffled off to bed. Of course, I felt awful when I learned. I wrote to apologize for the mix up, planning to make up for my mistake by taking him to the restaurant during my next visit to the area. Unfortunately, I had missed my last opportunity. Uncle Bob passed away later that year.
More than likely, someone has shared “magic” with you at some point in your life. Maybe it was a teacher, a parent, a family member, or a friend who revealed a key word of encouragement or inspiration to nudge you onto a path that led to a higher level of accomplishment. Had it not been for that person and their investment in you, your life would have been different. Maybe even less satisfying. While you still can, take a few moments to make a phone call, write a note, or even visit if possible, just to say thanks. Practicing gratitude and expressing your thanks to those who have made a positive impact on you is a powerful misdirection from the negatives that often crowd out the positives in our lives. Both you and the recipient of your expressed gratitude will experience a moment of life-enhancing, even magical, positivity that might just last a lifetime.
From Rod Robison’s book “The Magic of Cultivating Positive Emotions: Four Powerful Secrets Mentalists Use to Influence Thoughts and How You Can Use Them to Improve Your Emotional Health.”
“Great book! I am definitely going to apply what I read to my life and I am excited to see what happens!” Amazon reviewer
Available at www.TucsonMagician.com/books.
For more information about how you can book Rod’s mentalism and magic shows, inspirational seminars, and sales training visit www.TucsonMentalist.com
