--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only do we all have magic, it's all…" description: "\"“Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well. We just don't pay attention to it. Every time we make something out of nothing, that's an a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/charles-de-lint-1481_doing-the-right-thin_not-only-do-we-all-have-magic-it-s-all-a_1000654.png" --- # Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well… ![“Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well. We just don't pay attention to it. Every time we make something out of nothing, that's an act of magic. It doesn't matter if it's a painting or a garden, or an abuelo telling his grandchildren some tall tale. Every time we fix something…” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/charles-de-lint-1481_doing-the-right-thin_not-only-do-we-all-have-magic-it-s-all-a_1000654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/charles-de-lint-1481_doing-the-right-thin_not-only-do-we-all-have-magic-it-s-all-a_1000654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/charles-de-lint-1481_doing-the-right-thin_not-only-do-we-all-have-magic-it-s-all-a_1000654.png) > ““Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well. We just don't pay attention to it. Every time we make something out of nothing, that's an act of magic. It doesn't matter if it's a painting or a garden, or an abuelo telling his grandchildren some tall tale. Every time we fix something that's broken, whether it's a car engine or a broken heart, that's an act of magic. And what makes it magic is that we \*choose\* to create or help, just as we can choose to harm. But it's so easy to destroy and so much harder to make things better. That's why doing the right thing makes you stronger. If we can only remember what we are and what we can do, nobody can bind us or control us.”” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every act of creation or repair is a form of magic, reflecting our power to choose help over harm. **In simple terms:** Creating or fixing things is magical. Key Takeaway Choose to create, not destroy. Themes creativity responsibility human potential Mood inspired reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic projects - gardening - mechanical repair - emotional healing - storytelling Key Concepts agency choice interconnectedness Questions to Reflect On - How can you notice everyday magic? - What choices make you feel stronger? A Different Perspective Magic can be dismissed when routine overshadows wonder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-magic-838007/) [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-choose-693959/) [Magic Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-doesn-1183847/) [Magic Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-just/) [Magic Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-makes-1865093/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) ## Related quotes > [Every time we fix something that broken, whether it's a car engine or a broken heart, that an act of magic. And what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-we-fix-something-that-broken-whether-it-s-a-car-engine-or/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Life's an act of magic, too. Claire Hamill sings a line in one of her songs that really sums it up for me: 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/life-s-an-act-of-magic-too-claire-hamill-sings-a-line-in-one-of-her/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Be magic choose and believe that you can do anything you set your mind to believe. We are who we choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/be-magic-choose-and-believe-that-you-can-do-anything-you-set-your/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [The trouble with magic is that there's too much it just can't fix. When things go wrong, glimpsing junkyard faerie and crows that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-trouble-with-magic-is-that-there-s-too-much-it-just-can-t-fix/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [If our life lacks a constant magic it is because we choose to observe our acts and lose ourselves in consideration of their imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-artaud/if-our-life-lacks-a-constant-magic-it-is-because-we-choose-to-observe/) [Antonin Artaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-artaud/) > [“There is magic in this wonderful life, but only if you choose to do more than just exist; the magic is found when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-magic-in-this-wonderful-life-but-only-if-you-choose-to-do/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“This world is full of magic if you choose to see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/this-world-is-full-of-magic-if-you-choose-to-see-it/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Any action, like any act of magic, is in some sense an act of faith ... I've seen the desert bloom, the flower that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/any-action-like-any-act-of-magic-is-in-some-sense-an-act-of-faith-i/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [For me, there is very little difference between magic and art. To me, the ultimate act of magic is to create something from nothing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/for-me-there-is-very-little-difference-between-magic-and-art-to-me/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Disappearing act? That's a magic trick, isn't it? I like magic tricks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/disappearing-act-that-s-a-magic-trick-isn-t-it-i-like-magic-tricks/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [“Love is when her smile act as a magic wand to vanish whole day fatigue...!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akansh-malik/love-is-when-her-smile-act-as-a-magic-wand-to-vanish-whole-day-fatigue/) [Akansh Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akansh-malik/) > [“Falling in love is an act of magic, so is writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/falling-in-love-is-an-act-of-magic-so-is-writing/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [When Pixies broke up in 1993, I gave up the drums for the longest time. I hadn't been doing a lot, but I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lovering/when-pixies-broke-up-in-1993-i-gave-up-the-drums-for-the-longest-time/) [David Lovering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lovering/) > [“Black Girls create magic, so that makes me magical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/black-girls-create-magic-so-that-makes-me-magical/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [Even if you say you have no reason to be happy make one up! Pretend it. Then act on it. N see the magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/even-if-you-say-you-have-no-reason-to-be-happy-make-one-up-pretend-it/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) ## More by Charles de Lint > [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-you-do-a-good-deed-you-shine-the-light-a-little-farther/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-road-leading-to-a-goal-does-not-separate-you-from-the-destination/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Maybe she couldn’t go. Maybe she wanted him to stay. But she knew enough not to try to hold him back if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/maybe-she-couldn-t-go-maybe-she-wanted-him-to-stay-but-she-knew/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-magic-in-this-world-seems-to-work-in-whispers-and-small-kindnesses/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [You can take the woman outta the trash, but you can't take the trash out a the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-can-take-the-woman-outta-the-trash-but-you-can-t-take-the-trash/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/fortune-telling-doesn-t-reveal-the-future-it-mirrors-the-present-it/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [When you're touched by magic, nothing's ever quite the same again. What really makes me sad is all those people who never have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/when-you-re-touched-by-magic-nothing-s-ever-quite-the-same-again-what/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-are-few-joys-to-compare-with-the-telling-of-a-well-told-tale/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [How hard would it be to ask children what they see in their heads? How big should the house be in comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/how-hard-would-it-be-to-ask-children-what-they-see-in-their-heads-how/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [... we chase after ghosts and spirits and are left holding only memories and dreams. It's not that we want what we can't have;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/we-chase-after-ghosts-and-spirits-and-are-left-holding-only-memories/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Writing music uses a whole different process that involves a lot of noodling and just seeing what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/writing-music-uses-a-whole-different-process-that-involves-a-lot-of/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The real problem is, people think life is a ladder, and it's really a wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-real-problem-is-people-think-life-is-a-ladder-and-it-s-really-a/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Tattoos...are the stories in your heart, written on your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/tattoos-are-the-stories-in-your-heart-written-on-your-skin/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) [Explore all 237 Charles de Lint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## More Doing the right thing quotes > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [Money will come to you when you are doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phillips/money-will-come-to-you-when-you-are-doing-the-right-thing/) [Michael Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phillips/) > [It's all about doing the right things at the right times and I believe I can win everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-cross/it-s-all-about-doing-the-right-things-at-the-right-times-and-i/) [Rob Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-cross/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Management is about doing things right; leadership is about doing the right things. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-banfield/management-is-about-doing-things-right-leadership-is-about-doing-the/) [Richard Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-banfield/) > [There are certain things that we can deal with by following the rules. But at times, we find the rules restrict you from doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/there-are-certain-things-that-we-can-deal-with-by-following-the-rules/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Never let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-jenkins/never-let-making-a-profit-stand-in-the-way-of-doing-the-right-thing/) [George W. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-jenkins/) > [“Doing the right thing causes us to stand taller, dance more often, and step into life with more confidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-clairmont/doing-the-right-thing-causes-us-to-stand-taller-dance-more-often-and/) [Patsy Clairmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-clairmont/) > [“Health, peace of mind, peak performance, and success in any area of life all depend upon doing the right thing at the right time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hanson/health-peace-of-mind-peak-performance-and-success-in-any-area-of-life/) [Tobe Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hanson/) > [Sometimes you have to steer away from the crowd in order to be a better person. It's not always easy, that's for sure. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/sometimes-you-have-to-steer-away-from-the-crowd-in-order-to-be-a/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Doing the right thing at all costs is an absolute, and only a sith deals in absolutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-filoni/doing-the-right-thing-at-all-costs-is-an-absolute-and-only-a-sith/) [Dave Filoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-filoni/) > [ \[If\] we can celebrate that in a way that celebrates our love for New England as well as our love for the Italian culture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/if-we-can-celebrate-that-in-a-way-that-celebrates-our-love-for-new/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“What sort of man could you love for a lifetime?" he asked her. She was silent for a while. He guessed that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/what-sort-of-man-could-you-love-for-a-lifetime-he-asked-her-she-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [Sometimes you cannot do anything because the guy in front of you is playing well and he's doing the right things to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/sometimes-you-cannot-do-anything-because-the-guy-in-front-of-you-is/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [Being trustworthy requires: Doing the right thing. And doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-peppers/being-trustworthy-requires-doing-the-right-thing-and-doing-things/) [Don Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-peppers/) [Browse all 619 Doing the right thing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well. We just don't pay attention to it. Every time we make something out of nothing, that's an act of magic. It doesn't matter if it's a painting or a garden, or an abuelo telling his grandchildren some tall tale. Every time we fix something that's broken, whether it's a car engine or a broken heart, that's an act of magic. And what makes it magic is that we *choose* to create or help, just as we can choose to harm. But it's so easy to destroy and so much harder to make things better. That's why doing the right thing makes you stronger. 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