Magical

As kids we begged our parents and wished for things that would magically give us "special powers"--super powers even, to be great!

When I was younger, I believed I needed special tools--things, to be great. ...that 64-color Crayola Crayon box kit; that paint-set advertised on TV during the holidays; and, that shiny, red bike with the lopsided training wheels and loud bell, would make me the greatest! Out of it all, my pens and crayons remained supreme--my sword to battle and to salute. It didn't help that a large selection of American literature would wax on the line: "The pen is mightier than the sword."
Decades later, it remains the same. My pen is still magical.

I saw the same belief in my young when he was young.
My son, had an argument with the neighborhood kid--his best friend at the time. He ran angrily in the house to his room. He grabbed his mini-boxing gloves for the "Battle Royale". In his mind, he would be Ali--and "float like a butterfly." Of course we ended the battle before it started, but we had a hard time controlling fits of laughter at his belief in the power of those gloves.

Hi belief in the power of the gloves was transferred to a select pair of shoes, a certain car, or outfit. Each of those things at different times, would make him great.

We almost never outgrow our belief in the power of things, over self-empowerment.
…but, once we do, we will realize the magic in self-empowerment. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, it (the magic) was always there—within.
What did you think would make you great?
If I only had ___; then, I could ____!