The Red Hat

On one very memorable trip to Paris, I bought a striking red hat. I am not known for wearing hats and I had not set out that day to buy one. However, the big red, floppy hat screamed French summer chic and suited me well. I’d never owned such a hat before and I was enjoying the drama of it. It also, coincidentally, seemed to go with everything in my wardrobe which made it the perfect hat in practical ways too.

 
However, it soon became clear that this was no ordinary hat. Heading out into Paris, with all its many possibilities, something magical happened. When I put on the red hat, I became a different person. Confidence oozed from me, and I felt as if I could take on the world. All of my usual insecurities fell away. I was suddenly the woman with the fabulous, big red hat. The hat had given me magical powers. That night there was no stopping me. I met interesting people, danced with strangers, and fell in love with a handsome Tunisian man. The world was bright and exciting, and full of possibilities. Nothing could hold me back. It was an incredible night, and it all started with the red hat, which was quickly and appropriately renamed Le Chapeau Magique.

 
The truth is, the hat was just a hat. Gorgeous and red and stylish, for sure, but it wasn’t magical. But it gave me a different perspective and opened up that night to all the beauty of the world. We all need a magic hat. A lot of life, is the exact opposite of the magic hat moments. It is full of loss and grief and disillusionment. Amidst the dark times, we must remember that magic hat moments will come. Perhaps for you they will be a certain meal shared with loved ones or camping in the rain, or dancing bare foot in the kitchen. Perhaps you will also find your magic hat. For all the losses we face, both big and small, there are red hat moments that can be found and celebrated in between.

I often think of life as “a million little deaths” because it feels as though there are a million losses, big and small to navigate. But in French, a little death means something all together more joyous, and is therefore the perfect expression to also capture the fun and positive moments that bring pleasure rather than pain. I urge everyone to find the joyful moments that balance out the harder times. We just have to be open to seeing them. The world, after all, is full of magic hats!