Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

Magic Moments (or A Serendipitous Epiphany)

Posted Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at 3:03 PM

I timed it right to be at a high location over town looking west for these colors. I usually lose it before I can stop to take a photo.

The song on the car radio as I left my driveway one steamy August morning was “This Magic Moment” recorded by Jay and the Americans in 1968. (If you’re of a certain age, you may know it was recorded by The Drifters in 1960 - written by Jerome Pomus and Mortimer Shuman).

Hearing an oldie unlocks tons of treasure boxes in the ol’ noggin. A classmate, who unknowingly was my first date ever, dedicated that tune to me in the pages of our school newspaper. When that issue of the Donette hit the halls, I wasn’t familiar with the song. I purchased the 45 at Fred’s downtown. When I first heard the mushy verses on the stereo at home, I probably blushed every tint of red.

Steamy lyrics aside, a couple of the lines ushered in a serendipitous epiphany during my brief drive to town. “This magic moment, so different and so new…” applies to a myriad of events not remotely related to romance: hearing kids make music and watching their expressions when they realize they are; watching kittens and a big ol’ tomcat chase a feather; sipping a new delicious wine in a magical setting; receiving a surprise package; finishing another manuscript by my author/beau and knowing it’s another gripping one; gathering with cousins seen too seldom; laughing with siblings; delighting in my kiddo’s voice.

“And then it happened, it took me by surprise” can apply to our senses highlighting the marvels of daily life: aromas of bacon and coffee (or the honeysuckle I can’t find) ; birdsong from the treetops on a crisp clear morning; the vibrant shifts of yellows to oranges to pinks in a sunset; the warmth of a hug or tickle of a hello kiss; the refreshing relief of cool water or lemonade on a sweltering day.

“This magic moment” - waking up cool and rejuvenated and safe. There are those who struggle for this simple joy. May I be ever mindful to share the magic.