BEWITCHED???

Have you ever felt bewitched---by someone or something? Well, it's never too late---and the most bewitching of days is almost upon us. Halloween, where anyone can become anything is almost here. To become a witch is one thing---but to become bewitched is quite another. The dictionary defines "bewitching" as being captivated or totally fascinated, as in under a spell, or like magic. Is that what happens when we "fall in love"? When your world turns from black and white to brilliant techn-nicolor? When your heart sings, and your feet want to dance? Probably, but there are other kinds of bewitchment---the birth of a child, your dream home, your first glimpse of a lovely new country, even a new idea or a new friend can totally bewitch and enchant. us out of ourselves into a state like no other. Frank Sinatra sang of it so convincingly with his song, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", and you get the impression that he liked the feeling----we all do. It's part of who we are in that we want to be taken from ourselves and into something else---but finding the bewitchable becomes harder as we grow older, more skeptical, and cynical. And so, we begin to lose the ability to become totally charmed or captivated by anyone,thing, or idea. Only occasionally do we allow ourselves to fall away into the spell of a beautiful song, or a sunset, or a person. We hold onto ourselves, as though we might give away too much and not be able to retrieve it, or someone might think we are too generous, loving, or even needy. And that is sometimes a good thing.

Bewitchment can even happen on a large scale to a country. In 2008, a very charasmatic black man with a strange name and very different background from the typical American, completely captivated a large portion of the American imagination Outside of having served in the Senate for a short time, he was a virtual stranger to most of us. But what he said and how he said it inspired the hopes and dreams of many----this man became our next and current president of the United States. When one would ask why someone voted for this virtual unknown, they would simply say, "I like him." No facts or policy beliefs were given as reasons, other than they were very disenchanted with George Bush, and the Iraq war. That was it--- It was as though , in spite of insufficient knowledge of Barack's substance, they wanted to align themselves with this almost magical force that was sweeping the country. Obama became not only the man of the hour, but some called him the "messiah", the savior of a weary country. We were, many of us, completely bewitched by this man and his fresh, cool syle. How long will the spell last? Obama is still liked personally, but his political popularity has dropped dramatically. This was a case of a whole country , or at least a majority, becoming so attracted to their idea of a man they barely knew, that they arrived at a point of adoration---enough to sweep him into office, against all odds. Bewitchment happened ---then reality set in. Obama was beset by huge problems and too many warring philosophies as to how to fix them. In the end, he seemed to fail completely to satisfy anyone, including those who were on his side from the beginning. The spell appears to have been broken, and now, as President Obama, watches his magic disappear, he still struggles to re-capture earlier believers with his speeches. It remains to be seen if he will once again find a way to bewitch, or even better, show us by his actions and his words that he is a leader we can truly all follow and trust. That may not be so magical, but it would be bewitchment of a different kind---- faith and loyalty to a man who shows he can transcend even his own esoteric views to serve a whole country, not just a piece of it.

Recently, I attended a symphony which featured music by Beethoven. You could feel the audience warming, becoming totally appreciative, and finally bewitched. Their standing ovation was their way of saying "thank you, not only for the music, but for carrying us away for awhile. But there are those who feel certain kinds of music, such as heavy metal, rock 'n roll, or rap can impact, bewitch, if you will, our children in a negative way.
So, even music, the universal language demands our scrutiny.

Every now and then, in our own smaller circles, someone, even a complete stranger comes along and lights up a moment or longer with their smile, or their attitude, or their delightful personality. Celebrities and athletes often fall into this category. You want to be in their company, to bask in their light, and see the world through their cheerful prism. Choose your object of bewitchment carefully. Children, on the other hand, with their zest for life sprinkle magic on our lives. So do good books, wonderful pets, supportive friends and spouses. We are the magic for each other. I look for it every day, and sometimes find it; other times I simply long for it. I want to be bewitched, to know that feeling of leaving myself, off to another sphere of reality where I no longer care what anyone thinks, or how I look, or anything at all. I am in the zone of a magical feeling-----bewitched, beyond ego, and blissful to the point of a peace that comes when one is resonating with the joy of complete surrender to something or someone. I feel it when my grand daughters rush into my arms to give me a hug. or when I catch a first glimpse of the sea after a long absence, or when I hear the voice of a beloved friend who calls every now and then, and a million other little things that have very little to do with material wealth and everything to do with satisfying the part of us that knows we are more creatures of spirit than body. That spirit wants to adore, loves to laugh, love, and share with another in the exquisite synergy that occurs when one is bewitched. It reminds us of our quest for joy, out of ourselves, free of anything that keeps us from being complete and burdened by life's cares and stress---we are broomless, but over the moon with a magical spell called happiness. It only comes in dribs and drabs, for we are bound to earth with responsibilities, boundaries, cares, and stress, but once a year, an opportunity for it knocks on your door---- it's Halloween and it says to all who would listen, c'mon out and play, pretend, feel the magic. I used to know a lady who was the mom of a good friend. Every Halloween she would dress as a very believable witch and go door to door by herself, long after her children had grown beyond trick or treating, laughing and cackling. It was a neighborhood tradition, and we all thought she was a little bit, well--- eccentric. She probably was, but maybe she knew something we didn't---we're never to old to be be-witched!

Enjoy your Halloween----may you even become a little bewitched with all the little goblins and not too irritated with the larger, older ones, knowing that they, too, need to pretend. Maybe you'll even even become a witch, instead of bewitching! But come next Tues. Nov. 2, it's time to return to reality----vote and vote without bewitchment---because this one is, if not for all the marbles, many of them. Do we want a government to be our nanny, our caretaker, our big brother? Or do we want a government that allows for more individual freedoms and business and free enterprise, the life blood of our economy, to flourish without so much government interference that it chokes on it and finally dies? Whatever happens, may we finally begin to be a nation once again proud, healthy, strong, and a leader among nations, not one to be chastised and apologetic for who we are. That's not us for long---bewitched, maybe, but not without an antidote---it's called a blow-back, followed by a come back, or the generic term----voting. "Witch" ever you choose, may God bless America, as we grope forward in the present darkness of this slogging economy---trick or treat??