The Beauty of the Mysterious
Whenever I perform, inevitably someone will say "How did you do that?" to something I've shown them. The funny thing is that when I ask them if they really want to know, most (not all) of them will say, "No" and smile and shake their head. If you didn't want to know, why ask?
Because we love that moment of surprise and don't want to shatter the illusion.
One of my favorite quotes (and one that is on my marketing materials in my shows) is from Albert Einstein: "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious."
Truthfully, you'd probably be very disappointed if you discovered the secret behind most illusions. I've heard spectators give their theories on how particular effects were done and they usually make it much more difficult than it actually was. Magic is a skill, don't get me wrong, and it requires practice...but it's well within the reach of most people if they would only apply themselves.
But then, most people just want to enjoy the magic. They love the feeling of being fooled and just for a moment their minds are blown. It is a spark of fire in their otherwise-ordinary day. It defies explanation. It has become the mysterious.
And it is beautiful.
So the next time you see a magician perform (and hey, I can be bought if you need one), don't try to figure it all out. Bask in that feeling of amazement.
Real life will settle in soon enough, I promise. For that moment, just enjoy the beauty of the mysterious.
