Why are you doing it?

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats 

Have you noticed? People’s senses appear to be growing duller as they hypnotically move through their self-obsessed little worlds of goals and worries. I became aware of this creeping condition years ago while traveling to give keynote talks at corporate events.

In response, I would often close my presentation by sharing an insightful interview about stage magic. It never failed to bring tears to my eyes, and it appeared to momentarily wake people up from their stupor. Perhaps it will have a similar effect on you.

MAGIC MAGAZINE (1999): What caused you to become a magician?

DOUG HENNING: I was getting a little bit of a reputation, and I was invited by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to perform on Christmas shows for the troops.

At one point on the tour, they asked if I would like to do a show for a group of Inuits. We were on the edge of this little town in the wilderness, 400 miles from the North Pole, and about 60 below zero. I set up my show in a little building, and the Inuits came in to watch.

They sat on the floor in their parkas, and I did what I thought was some pretty good stuff. They just sat there, didn’t smile, didn't say a word and, at the end, nobody applauded. But they were completely focused on me, like I was some sort of phenomenon.

Only one of them spoke English, so I asked him, “Did you like the show?” “Yes, we like show,” he said.

Then I asked, “Did everybody like the magic?” He said, “The magic?” I explained that I was trying to entertain people. He said, “Entertainment is good, but why are you doing magic? The whole world is magical.”

We sat down on the floor and he told me, “It’s magic that snow falls, all those little crystals are completely different; that’s magic.”

I said, “But what about when I made the rabbit and doves appear?” “Why do you do those things?” he said. “It’s magic when the walrus appears each spring, he comes from nowhere; that’s magic.”

Now I was grasping, trying to explain magic to him. I thought of my Zombie, which I thought was my best thing. I said, “I made that beautiful silver ball float in the air; that’s magic.”

“But there’s a ball of fire floating through the sky every day. It keeps us warm, gives us light; that’s magic.”

Then the Inuits started talking among themselves. The man came to me with a big smile on his face, and said, “Now, we know why you are doing that. It’s because your people have forgotten the magic. You’re doing it to remind them of the magic. Well done!”

I cried right then. I’ve never told anyone this story. I said, “Thank you for teaching me about the magic. I didn’t know.”

That was really the first time I knew what wonder was. It was the most memorable thing that has ever happened to me. I never forgot that, inside. That’s why I became a magician.

So why do you do what you do? What’s that feeling inside of you?

---

Stay passionate!