Magical Connections

By Tim Smith

This month’s topic presented a challenge for me, since I don’t write paranormal, fantasy, or shapeshifter romance. The other posts I’ve read have explored those very well, but I was left thinking “What am I going to contribute to this?”

It finally dawned on me that romance itself is magical, whether you’re writing it, reading it, or living it. Think back to the first time you encountered someone who instantly drew you in, the person you felt an immediate attraction to. While it’s true that physical appearance is part of the initial attraction, quite often it’s something deeper than that.     

Take it a step further. What was the magical connection you felt that wouldn’t let you go? Was it their smile? Their voice? The way they looked at you? Their mannerisms? Their willingness to engage with you for the first time? Did they say something that immediately put you at ease and helped you get over your anxiety of meeting someone new?

Now think about what fueled your desire to know them better. Something gave you the confidence to take that next step. Did you find them easy to talk to? Did they laugh at your jokes? Did they make you laugh? Did you find that you had some things in common, things you wanted to explore further?

If you’re lucky, a thing like that happens at least once in your life. For some of us, it’s happened more than once. Physical attraction may be part of it at first, but I like to dig deeper. I’ve met women who were what you’d call “stunning,” the ones who were the center of attention in a room full of people. That may have drawn me to them initially, but after a few minutes of conversation, I was disappointed to discover that it was all surface without substance.

One magical encounter when I was younger had nothing to do with physical attraction initially. The first thing that caught my attention were her eyes, bright blue and full of life, containing excitement and enthusiasm. Next was the smile, one that was friendly and open, accompanied by body language that wasn’t tense or defensive. Then came the voice, a smooth sultry sound that massaged each word, lulling me into a sense of dream-like euphoria. That was followed by some easy conversation peppered with a few laughs. There was also an interest in what I had to say and a willingness to satisfy my curiosity. The realization that she was very pretty didn’t hit me until later.

It was a truly magical connection.