"Softer than a summer night"

I like the style and works of French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir and I like the face of Margot. It seems Renoir liked her, too, because he painted her a number of times. I found a few more of those works and picked one for post No. 2 of this episode. By the way, I broke this into two pieces simply because it is long/long/long, which often discourages people from reading a particular item. This way, I figured long/lo would only be one-half as discouraging. I also selected three more pieces of music to include here today. They are Luigi Boccherini -- Nuria Rial performing "Virgo virginum praeclara" / Jay & the Americans -- "This Magic Moment" / Ricky Nelson -- "Never Be Anyone Else But You."

Yep, magic .... Part 2 of 2

Definitions of magic straight from Merriam-Webster: The use of means believed to have supernatural power over natural forces and an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source. There undoubtedly are more, but we will leave it at those for now.

My own priorities in magic have centered around two. One has been in relation to time travel, which is very romantic in one sense, but sort of impractical in terms of quantum physics. There is a theory that it might be possible to locate a wormhole and use it as a bridge to travel through time. According to general relativity, this concept might actually work, but when it comes to our understanding of the Universe, general relativity probably does not have the final word.

Actually, physics is not "my thing," and I prefer the simpler idea that time is like a river and we each are in our own canoe drifting along in it .... and, if this is true, should it not be possible to paddle to the shoreline, get out of the canoe and walk forward or back along the riverbank? Sort of like physics for idiots, I suppose ....

Time to divert into a story of sorts. I am pretty much of a right person at the right place at the right time individual .... and conversely, the wrong at the wrong at the wrong.

 This magic moment

 So different and so new

 Was like any other

 Until I kissed you

And then it happened

 It took me by surprise

 I knew that you felt it too

 By the look in your eyes

Sweeter than wine

Softer than a summer night

Those were some of the lyrics from the song, "This Magic Moment." I have kissed a young lady or two or three, a few with significant passion, but only once did a kiss seem magically perfect. A group of  "we budding journalists" went to a saloon one evening after work and, a few hours later, only two of us remained. The young lady was sitting on one side of a booth and I was on the other side. We were leaning inward, forearms on the table, looking at each other, talking (about what, I cannot recall) when we both slowly moved nearer and nearer until we were kissing.

If there is such a thing as an impeccable kiss, this was it. Our lips seemed to fit perfectly, as though they had been molded each to match the other's. We kissed like that a few more times. I thought I might melt. I will not describe the evening further than to say each kiss seemed as "magical" as the first and that a few minutes later, we both left and went our separate ways.

In one sense, that is the end of the story, but, from another aspect, it is not.

I was married (for the second time) with two young children at home / totally career-oriented / determined to make my marriage work. The young lady was single / very attractive / an excellent reporter / just over a relationship.

We were alone together, by her design, a few times after that. We talked and talked and talked and got to know each other very well in terms of history and personality -- but, there never was anything more to it. Never even another kiss, although it was obvious we both remembered the first few and wanted to experience them again.

At some point along the way, I had begun to wonder if she possibly was the "right/ideal" person for me, but our encounter for me was the wrong place at the wrong time. I moved to a new job in a new town a few months later .... then on to still other places.  Our lives continued to intersect occasionally, always by a visit or a telephone call from her. 

She eventually left journalism and became a high school English teacher. It one point, I discovered she was teaching in a school three blocks as the blue jay flies from my residence. How do you interpret that other than destiny? By then, though, we had not had contact for a few years and I put her out of my mind.

People sometimes say they have found a "soul mate." You occasionally meet someone who claims to have a mate who sets them aflame. Among the things I wonder about (curiosity again) is how many are being honest when they say these things or how many have told themselves those things so many times they actually have come to believe them and affection has replaced love. Love is born in an instant, I believe, although it might take years to recognize it.  Affection grows during the passage of time. I wonder where the line is between the two -- or if there is a line .... 

I do not believe there are words adequate to describe "the kiss." Have you ever encountered a particular word in a language for which there is no equivalent word in any other language? I suppose I could try to invent a word for this experience, but every word needs a definition and this would be where I encounter an impenetrable wall. All I know is that I never have experienced anything like it before or since .... hence, it shall remain undefined in any language.

My conclusion for this event and other experiences?  I believe there can be "magic" by any definition between individuals and, although I have not experienced any other forms (of which I am aware), I have no reason to believe it cannot exist .... which is light years away from actually believing in it or disbelieving in it in other forms ....