The Magic of Kindness
LOURDES MALFARA
When people think about magic, their minds instantly traverse through a scenery of witches and wizards, filled with black pot kettles, cursed amulets, and spells. Unless you are slightly childish like Lilly, and you go straight to the iconic image of Mickey Mouse with his gigantic purple hat, creating a tornado of stars with his wand. It is hard to describe the excitement and anticipation these opening credits created in a young child. It is funny to consider how an image can sear so many emotions into your brain, but images are not the only things that can do that. Words can be just as impactful in someone's life. And actions, they are the most powerful of all. You see, in this world, there are many types of magic, and it does not just live in Hogwarts or in our imagination. There are magical stories attached to everyday people, and Lilly was fortunate enough to have known several magicians in her lifetime.
She always found magic in her big little brother, Tim. Big because he was older, but little because his mind was childlike, free from the constraints of time and numbers. Tim did not see the world the way others did. He learned strange things quickly, yet the simple tasks felt like towering mountains. His eyes only saw the good in people, even when the world was not kind in return. You see, not everyone appreciates magic; some people are inherently scared of it.
There was also magic in Lilly’s parents. Her father was a great explorer, and when he first arrived in Lilly’s birth town, he had never owned a pair of shoes, but he made sure to conjure up shoes for everyone in his family thereafter. Clara, her mother, was a warrior or a witch, as some liked to call her. She could create things out of thin air, predict the future, and stop an entire army with her gaze. And with a needle and thread, she could turn any commoner into a princess like any good fairy godmother.
And yet, amidst all these sorcerers, there was one woman whose power surpassed them all. Lilly’s grandmother, Marija, the quiet woman whose humble presence carried a force more profound than any incantation. A magic that could heal wounds unseen by the eye, rooted in the unyielding belief that there is light even in the darkest shadows. This was the magic that shaped Lilly, and even through adversity allowed her to shimmer with the faint glow of possibility.
Marija was an ordinary girl from a small town, never infamous or famous, never feared or revered. She lived happily with her parents in their humble home near the forest outside of Maierato until tragedy knocked on her door. Her mother passed away from consumption when she was only seven years old. Her father did not think he could raise her alone and quickly remarried. He did not know it then, but he brought a dark soul into their lives. Giuseppe was an honourable man who adored Marija, but the devastating loss of her mother led him to become consumed by his work, and his job in the fields often kept him away from home. Marija missed him in silence and always awaited his return, with no complaints and a bright smile. Her stepmother, whom we will not name, had turned Marija into a real-life Cinderella. Even though she was just a child, she was forced to shoulder all the household chores and care for her half-brother and sister, Joel and Lola. Yet, she loved them fiercely. Lola often got whipped for defending Marija, and the quick-witted Joel tried to shield her from their mother's hurtful words. No matter how cruel her stepmother’s curses were, Marija’s innate magic remained unwavering. Still, this world loves to bury magic like burnt witches at the stake, so fate was lined up to deliver a set of masterfully calculated blows.
When Marija was twelve, her father became ill, and she was sent to work at the fountain to help support the family. Soon, she became Maierato’s most popular Lavandaie- washerwoman. She even did the washing for old Lucinda without charge because the old lady's fingers were riddled with arthritis. This was not unusual for Marija; helping others was in her nature. It was arduous work, but she enjoyed the sun and the chatter with the other women. When Marija turned sixteen, she met a handsome young traveller who sold magical potions from town to town. Antonio was well-mannered and honourable, and every day he spent in town, he would spend it around the fountain. At first, he brought his shirts for a wash, then he started carrying Marija's baskets when she delivered the laundry. Marija always blushed when he was around; she thought he was incredibly handsome. The ladies at the fountain would always tease her about her rugged caller. He bought her flowers, chocolates and called her beautiful. And until he uttered those enchanting words, Marija had never thought of herself as beautiful; she always considered that these compliments were solely reserved for women like Lola, with their radiant femininity and red lips, not for her, with her messy hair, second-hand coats, and worn-out shoes.
And yet every month, Antonio would come past the town looking to catch a moment with Marija. When he was away, he wrote her letters even though sometimes he arrived back before they did. His letters were drafted like devilish chants that stirred Marija’s calm. She was sure that kind of passion could only be summoned by witchcraft, but she did not care. Soon, it was hard to separate one from the other; they were like magnets finding each other at every turn. The young souls beguiled by romance began to sneak out in the evenings to spend time alone. Giuseppe knew and disapproved of this behaviour, but he had never seen his daughter so alive with joy; so, he kept his silence. Antonio spoke of marriage and running away, and this was like a siren's song for Marija.
When October came along, Antonio failed to appear at the fountain, and no letters came in his absence. Days stretched in silence, carving a wound in Marija's chest. She was heartbroken, and beneath that heartbreak, she felt a quiet shame. She had been waiting anxiously for his return, especially now, when she had discovered she was with child. Desperate and vulnerable, she sought help from the only female figure she knew. Her stepmother’s response was eerily calm, her hands stirring their tea with feigned kindness, her eyes shimmering with an unsettling glint. Marija began to feel faint and soon found herself drugged and at the mercy of a local witch doctor, famous for terminating the traces of unlawful romances. The runes he used on Marija made her sick and would forever curse her belly.
The next day, Giuseppe returned to a scene of despair. He found his beloved daughter near death and wasted no time rushing her to the hospital. The doctor who treated her saved her life and her battered heart. He told her about the young man who sold potions and how tragic it was that he had recently lost his life at the town’s border, ambushed by malicious wolves attempting to seize his potions.
For endless days, Marija’s tears fell as anguish suffocated her. She had sunk, thinking Antonio had tricked her and left her for a ravishing blonde with flair, like the nymphs that gathered at the local colleges. But he did not choose to leave her; The world had taken him from her, and for the first and the last time in her life, she was overcome by a tempestuous rage that threatened to drown her whole. As she found herself embroiled in dark thoughts, she schemed her revenge only to find that in the end, her enemy had already been vanquished. When Marija returned home, she learnt that Giuseppe had sent her stepmother away. No words were said, no explanations or lengthy discussions were had; it was as if a magical wind had mysteriously blown her away.
Years passed before anyone knew of her again. She manifested her presence at Lola's wedding. And with a timid and fearful look, she approached Marija at the door, asking for permission to enter their home. Marija saw her haunted face and said nothing; Any ill will she ever held for this person had dissipated like the morning fog. There was no room inside her for hate or resentment. Marija understood that true strength could only emerge from compassion, and in that silent act of forgiveness, Marija’s inner light grew brighter, fierce, and steady.
At the wedding, amid all the joy and dancing, Marija met Jose, a weathered young man with kind eyes and a wicked sense of humour. They owned the dance floor, and after a couple of rounds and a tango, they fell madly in love. Jose’s pockets were empty, but what he lacked in chants, he had in willingness to make Marija smile. She always said it was fate that they met, as it would be Jose who would nurture her true magic. Jose’s brother, known around town as ‘The General,’ was a retired officer whose days were spent bar hopping and neglecting his family. He was married to Rory, a stoic woman who never lost her composure, not even when that sculptural voodoo priestess showed up at her door claiming to have her husband's child. Not when “The General” left her and the kids without food. And not when she left Lilly's mother at Marija’s door, asking her to keep her, as if she was tossing aside her own sorrow.
Clara was just two years old when Marija took her in as her own. That witch doctor had cursed her belly, but her caring essence had never been tainted. Marija gave this little girl her heart, and Jose built them a home filled with accordion music and laughter, where love and hope grew amidst every note. And then, not long after the June storms, fate brought Luis into their lives. He was a toddler, around three, abandoned by a traveller, left like a package with one of Marija’s bitter neighbours. Cold and sick, Luis's life was slipping away when Marija was called to help. She spent weeks at his bedside, and when he recovered, she brought him home and adopted him, without any hesitation from Jose. And even though Rory never allowed Marija to officially adopt Carla, she was Marija's daughter to anyone who dared to ask.
Marija's magic was inherent in her caring heart and compassionate soul; it transcended her time, leaking into those she touched. She is the talisman behind all the magic in Lilly’s family and the reason she grew up preoccupied with Mickey Mouse and fairy tales. She is the inspiration of her childish nature seeking the good in the world. She taught Tim how to conquer his mountains and Clara how to be strong. She may not have manifested her magic through telekinesis or making brooms fly, but she created magic every time she created a smile, every time she pushed on, unyielding to the cruel world.
You see, magic is not just found in spell books; it is all around you. There is magic in the adventures you embark on when you cross the oceans. There is magic in bravery, in tolerance and in willingness to love. There is magic in every story put to words and in the feelings they evoke. In the things that you create that shape your own world. In the presence that lingers long after everyone is gone, the one who hugs you when you need it most.
Fate is also wondrous and magical, and there is always magic in the minor mysteries of this world, like how Marija's portrait never collects dust while everything else in Lilly’s house does. So, do not think about that black cauldron and the magical wand. Keep an eye out for that old lady down the road; she could be hexing you for not cutting the lawn. There is magic after all in every interaction and every footprint you leave on the road; it may take time to find, but keep looking, just like Lilly does. She still does not know what powers she possesses, but whatever they may be, she will do as Marija, and she will not let the world drain them out, because what is life without a bit of magic? And remember, kindness is the most powerful magic of all.
Lourdes is a mature-age student and amateur writer from Sydney who loves classical literature and is looking to find her literary voice.
