Dana Lone Hill

Magic In Life And How I Came To Believe In It
By Dana Lone Hill
Lakota Country Times Columnist
www.lakotacountrytimes.com

I thought I would write about the different kinds of magic in life and how I came to believe in magic.

In anticipation of becoming a grandmother someday, I would often ask friends, “How does it feel in your heart to become a grandparent?” Mainly because from great grandmothers and up, I always considered myself a grandmas girl and my Grandpa Rusty was the bomb. He gave me my love of cooking, and eating a good home cooked meal. He instilled in my along with other grandparents a love of storytelling as I would sit and listen to stories of the past and a time when life was harder than the world I lived in.

When I would go home for wopilas and took the kids to spend time with my dad, I would sit and listen to my grandmother tell stories of her life as a child on the very land we sat on. Then I would listen to my dad tell the same kind of stories to my children, niece, and nephews. It was and is magical to listen to those kinds of stories.

I think it took that kind of magic for me to ever even believe in myself and realize that what magic really is is life. I often was so self conscious and full of doubt in my life that I never thought I could achieve the one dream I had since I was 8 years old, which was to write a book. It took me to get to my lowest point in my life to pull that kind of magic from inside and to finally believe in myself. Even though I had grandparents who believed in me I let my own self doubt put me in place. I had to remember what they went through.

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My second born son believes in magic. He does sleight of hand magic, card tricks, coin tricks, and he can juggle as many oranges as you can throw at him. He loves magic so much he impresses young children and unsuspecting people with it. ME, I am always holding him suspect and looking for his secrets. I never trust that he really is magic, plus he always does it when I am so busy with my writing or beading that I try to not act impressed when he shows me a new trick.

But as of March 11, he made me believe in magic again. He along with my daughter in law showed me the best kind of magic. They gave me a beautiful granddaughter named Amelia. She is gorgeous and so full of the magic of life I can’t help but to be in awe of her.

Always remember, life is magical. Like takojas.

(Dana Lone Hill is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and is the author of a book about life on the reservation called Pointing with Lips.)

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