I am a writer, and I am a magician. For me, writing is a magical act. At the heart of this is the idea that there is as much reason for human suffering in this world as there is in any book you read - it means we're part of a good story. Just as we create stories, we are created. Just as characters suffer and grow, so do we.
Think of Achilles. He chose a life like a falling star over a long, happy, peaceful existance. His story is timeless, and has long endured. What was the last story you read in which no one took risks, suffered, or made mistakes? Achilles was presented with two plots and allowed to choose. Of course, this is a metaphor for our lives as well. We can take the easy route or the hard one, and decide what kind of story we want to carve.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word said "In the beginning"...
And yes, I know I keep coming back to that. That's because I think it's true.
Do you ever find yourself narrating your everyday life in your head? Does it help you approach decisions in a more balanced way? Does it allow you to remain calm in the eye of the storm? This has qualities of both magic and meditation - meditation because it allows you to calm yourself and take that critical outsider's look, and magic because by directing your narration, you can subtly affect the way your story is written, merging your own will with that of your author (and don't we all, as authors, have those moments when characters make it clear they are imposing their will on us?).
Just some thoughts.