Hello Friends.
Today, I reach you from the great, sprawling sand hills of north-central Nebraska. This afternoon I stood atop a hill and took in the majestic landscape that lay before me–the beauty of land that has risen and fallen, covered and cut across the eons, I am familiar with geomorphology and know the mechanisms behind what shaped the land, but it is fun for me sometimes to suspend what I know to play with what I imagine. I recall ancient tales and folklore about those who tried to explain lands like this before modern science robbed them of their mystery.
I love our great nation and now several days prior to the Independence Day holiday, I notice the many flags that are proudly displayed outside people’s houses. As my wife and I talked as we drove to our destination, we discussed the flags, parades, and bunting. My mind began to wander and I thought about how many people in “middle-America” feel about the American Flag, a symbol of patriotism, of pride, and of love. 
As I have followed more and more of Jonathon Haidt’s work, I have appreciated his discussion of the purity foundation of Moral Foundations Theory and the potential for making otherwise mundane items sacred. Everyone has something that we revere more than logic tells us to. If it’s not a flag, it’s a great work of fiction. It’s the memory of a loved one, the iconic image of an Abraham Lincoln, or a teddy bear. In an office environment, it could be the company’s code of values, the prominently displayed picture of the founder, or a simple two-word phrase like “Think Different.”
We imbue things with love and meaning because they enrich our lives. We draw purpose, direction, and strength by creating and enjoying something mystical about the world in which we live. We should all be willing to make a little more room for magic in our lives. Not everything should be circumscribed by logic and reason. Sometimes the capacity for human imagination nourishes us in ways that reality cannot at the moment. This is not a human frailty. This is a strength.
Make a little room for the mystical in your lives. You’ll be better for it.
