Mr. Magorium

Where's the Magic?

Ponce de Leon sought the fountain of youth in Florida, they say Sir Walter Raleigh brought the American potato to England and I'm here to tell you the key to Republican success can be found in a kiddy flick.
Before you start to make fun of me and suggest I've lost my grip on reality, take a look at Ponce and Sir Walter. Ponce didn't find a fountain of youth and England actually got the potato from Italy, not Sir Walter. But these guys weren't all wrong. Florida is a great retirement destination and Sir Walter did start the English exploration of America. I say inspiration and hidden truth can be found in unlikely places.

From the Mouths of Babes

Here's another important truth. Never make light of the children's movie, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," when your three-year-old grandchild points out the obvious significance and power of magic. Believe me, you won't win the argument.
Childhood introduces us to magic. Later in life, at the strangest times, we are reminded that incredible things happen when intangible forces combine in mystical ways. It usually starts with faith, is nurtured by love and is sustained by magic.
So, let me make my case . . . but before I do let me tell you a story.
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a fantastical toy store. Every top, train, bouncing ball and toy dinosaur come to life whenever Mr. Magorium or his trusted store manager, Miss Mahoney, come to work. In fact, the entire store, in a sense, is alive. The store is even subject to mood swings and things go a little gray when Mr. Magorium or Mahoney are gone.
Mr. Magorium is a little scatterbrained, but you can't help but love him. Miss Mahoney loves him. Adults love him. Children love him. Most of all, the toys love him. How, after all, can you not love magical success?
One day, Magorium starts making odd announcements that eventually lead to a wheelbarrow load of bad news for everyone.
"It occurred to me I've owned the Emporium for over 113 years . . .," Magorium said. "And not once have I even looked at a receipt. So I have absolutely no idea what the store is worth."
Mahoney agrees that it might be a bad thing not to know the value of the store, but she wonders why it is important now. She's baffled by Magorium's decision to hire a "counting mutant." It turns out he means to hire an accountant.
"It must be a cross between a counter and a mutant," he said. "And that may be precisely what we need."
Miss Mahoney, failing to understand where this conversation is going, tells Mr. Magorium that she feels trapped in life and is thinking about moving on in her career as a classical pianist. Mr. Magorium, undaunted by Mahoney's decision, said he too is going away. leaving the world never to return.
Now, follow me in your mind's eye. We all watch, in horror, as color fades from the wonderful store. The balls stop bouncing, The tops stop spinning. Miss Mahoney gives up on magic saying, "I don't have any."
But, there is a glimmer of hope. Well get back to that in a moment.
Today, the Republican Party is at a crossroads. We can clearly see the end of the Reagan era. America has spoken, pretty loudly, for a contest between Barack Obama and John McCain. Doom and gloom is everywhere in the media, from the Republican point of view. The pundits are predicting the worst.
Well, that's what Miss Mahoney and the toys believed as well, but they forgot an important truth. They looked at Mr. Magorium as the source of the magic that kept the toy store alive.
Before he departs, with a knowing smile, Mr. Magorium pulls a block of polished wood out of a dishwasher and gives it to Mahony as a gift.
"Unlikely adventures require unlikely tools," he said. "With faith, love, this block and a counting mutant, you might find yourself somewhere you've never imagined."

The Moral of the Story

Eventually, you probably know, Miss Mahoney discovers the magic is in her and the toys recognize the magic is in them as well. It wasn't Mr. Magorium, but the love of the dream that is the toy store.
The future remains to be seen, but I can almost see it -- hidden away, figuratively, in a block of wood and the joy of bouncing, spinning toys. Volunteers need to keep bouncing and spinning. Those aspiring to leadership need to take their inspiration from grassroots, everyday people. The combination can be magic.
An awkward child in the movie, named Eric, narrates the thought that I hope will inspire each of us as we move toward the future.
"All stories, even ones we love, eventually come to an end," Eric said. "And when they do, it is only an opportunity for another story to begin."
Now, what does this have to do with politics? I think you can figure that out for yourself.