"I'm a sucker for enchantment, , especially when it arises from unlikely places.
By a year and a half into the pandemic in the fall of 2021, I had become
increasingly frustrated by the incursion of scientific measurement into daily
life, from never-ending COVID testing to forehead thermometer readings. As
valuable as such tools can be, I longed for my daily life to be filled with more
of the unquantifiable mystery that fills our world, even if we only notice it in
exceptional moments. Following the alchemical experience of losing my father
early in the pandemic, I was inspired to learn more about my ancestors. Seated
at my home computer, I began a genealogical investigation that eventually took
me to three continents. I relished my meandering online journey, pausing to
appreciate the storied lands of the Celts, the fantastical creatures that
populate their folklore, and the enduring belief in them among modern people. I
did not expect to encounter these legendary creatures on my city block in
Somerville, Massachusetts..."
Kaitlin Smith shares more about sowing enchantment in a Boston suburb.
