The Great and Powerful Oz

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" --the Wizard of Oz

Ah, the lessons we can learn from the Wizard of Oz.   Like, flying monkeys and evil green witches are a freak of nature and very scary to small children.  And that we all need hearts, brains, and courage, but sometimes they don't mean what we think they mean, and when we discover their truths, we realize we already possess them.  And most importantly, we learn from Dorothy that we always have the power within us to accomplish what we need, whether it is overcoming adversity or simply going home again.

And the poor Wizard.  Now, there's a man with issues.  He has the illusion of power, but his reality is encased in smoke and mirrors.  And a pretty dad-gum good sound system for a balloon-flying magician, but I digress. 

Have you ever known a Wizard?  The person who projects the image of having it all, and actually knowing where it is, and knowing how to use it? Maybe it's one of the moms in your child's class who works, irons her kids clothes, makes them lunches, and still provides the best loved snacks for the classroom parties.  Or maybe it's someone you work with who puts in their 60+hours a week, donates time to their favorite charity, makes it to all their childrens' sports and music events, gets the promotion, and never gains weight.  Wizards can be downright annoying that way.

Here's my theory: I think most Wizards are like the one in Oz: they look like they have it all together, but they are still hiding something behind a curtain, and it's going to be discovered when someone unexpected rips the curtain back.  Maybe it is a hidden pain, a wounded heart, or an insecurity. Maybe the Wizard act serves some perfectionistic tendency; maybe most wizards are afraid if they aren't perfect, no one will love them. But like the Wizard in the movie we love so much, the truth to be found for our wizarding friends is that the very imperfections they try so hard to hide are where wizardy wisdom begins.  Perfection is an illusion; smoke and mirrors, leading to a giant, disembodied head.  The best lessons in life are in our stumblings and failings, and a true wizard is one who passes those lessons on to others.

So, to quote the Wizard again, I offer to all my fellow wizards, trembling behind their curtains:
"Oh, but I'm a very good man!  I'm just a very bad wizard!"  --the Wizard of Oz