It's no fun to be a total skeptic.

[whyverne]

My son and I attended a Lenape Pow Wow over the weekend. On Saturday we bought some ribbon shirts and I danced until I was sore, we had a good time. While sitting in camp Saturday night, we were chatting and watching the stars and my son said, "My birthstone is opal, what's an opal look like?" So I said that the common opal was milky white with red flashes.

The next day we went back to the Pow Wow and I was approached by a warrior (security) who said that one of the tribal elders would like a word with me. So I went over and met a nice old Munsee Lenape who said he had been watching us and that it did his heart good to see us having such a good time. He wondered if he might talk to my son as he wanted to give him a necklace that he had made for him. I said, "Well that's wonderful, my son's autistic, you know". He said, "Yes, I know" and showed me the necklace which was, of course, opal.

I watched as he presented the necklace to my son, explaining the meaning of the opal (white for peace and calmness, red for the love we had for each other) and I had tears in my eyes as he asked my son for a hug and they embraced.

Now I'm a big time skeptic and love to read myth debunking and such but this was a big reminder not to take all the magic out of life.

[GrapesOfWrath]

1. Beautiful

thanks for sharing :hug:

[Ian David]

2. It's not magic, it's symbolism. n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. This is the correct answer. -nt

[gateley]

3. And I had tears in my eyes reading this beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it. nt

[GoneOffShore]

4. Being a skeptic removes no wonders from the natural world

Glad you enjoyed the cultural experience. And the emotional bonding.

[Mimosa]

5. Whyverne your post made my day

As a native American I believe a lot of myths. But beyond that, kindness and reaching out is what all people should do to make the world better.

[whyverne]

14. I wish I'd found Pow Wows years ago.

Back east here, we don't have too many, but I go to all of them i can find. I was in the Grand Entry at this last one. My kid has gone from, "Dad, you're embarrassing yourself" to "Dad, I can't believe you were in the Grand Entry! I'm proud of you, you're a good dancer". HeeHee.

Now camping without a Pow Wow is boring.

[zippy890]

6. nice. best post of the day

thanks

your not a skeptic about the real, important things like love

[lunatica]

7. When a skeptic says it's magic

It's time to believe.

The world needs you skeptics. You're a real pain in the arse, but you're right to question everything. Don't even think you should change.

[TlalocW]

8. As a fellow skeptic

As well as a magician, I can tell you that if I hear someone mention their favorite card without their realizing I heard them, they're going to get a magic trick with that card. :) I propose that a similar thing might have happened. I also propose that it doesn't matter - that the real magic was in the friendship and generosity shown.

TlalocW

[whyverne]

13. Yeah, them Injuns snuck up on us in the middle of a field

with no one else around and got that information! HeeHee. Just teasing ya. I'll accept coincidence, but no one else was around.

[Pithlet]

9. Beautiful

And there's no rule saying we can't see the beauty and fun and even have some sense of wonder at times like those. I don't think you have to turn in your skeptic creds ;)

[onethatcares]

10. before we came to disbelieve

magic was everywhere.

You got to experience it.

Peace

[pipi_k]

11. Sometimes the best magic happens to those of us

who are the biggest skeptics.

I'm a skeptic too, and I can tell you I've seen some magic I might otherwise have not seen.

:)

[jaxx]

12. What a wonderful story and moment in your son's life.

Gave me goosebumps.

[DonCoquixote]

15. An odd parable

One of my earliest memories was reading an old Justice League Comic book. The Justice league had just fought a Magician, who turned out to be an alien with very high tech, posing as a witch to scare natives. The Flash at that time was a forensic scientist, so he said "this proves a theory of mine that everything called Magic is really UNDISCOVERED SCIENCE!", now Green Lantern, the devil may care test pilot, said "Y' know, maybe Science is nothing but UNACKNOWLEDGED MAGIC!"

Here's to all the undiscovered science, and to all the unacknowledged magic, heaven and darwin know we need them both.

[applegrove]

16. What a sweet momment.

[ZombieHorde]

17. I clicked on this thread because I wanted to unrec it.

I unrec threads which start with the words "it," "its," or "it's," but your story is really cute and I just can't bring myself to unrec it.

I am glad you and your son had a fun time.

[Festivito]

18. Until we understand all, beyond stars and strings, magic will be real.

We're not there yet. We still only see so far into the stars, those elusive strings are still only a theory, and what lies beyond each remains mystery, so in the mean time, it would be travesty not to entertain delight in young eyes: Enjoy the magic.

[Greyhound]

19. Good people are the only thing that makes it bearable. n/t

[Uncle Joe]

21. Thanks for sharing, whyverne.

:)