A friend of mine blew out the candles on her 17th birthday cake with her friends watching. Like so many, she “made a wish” before blowing. That was in the fall of 1987 – she is now married with 4 kids and seems content with her life. She revealed, at some point during our college careers, that her wish, on that birthday, was to marry one of the guys in the group – a specific guy in the group. And… she married him! They weren’t dating at the time; as I remember it, they weren’t even close to dating. But she wished, blew, and 4.5 years later, that wish came true.
Over the past few days, I have thought about wishing – making wishes, sending out that desire to the universe or the atmosphere. I like the idea as it seems hopeful and positive. I am a tad uncomfortable with the idea as often wishes are about things being different or wanting something that isn’t. They can focus hope as much as they can focus regret.
And I am just not sure what I think about them in general.
My daughter wants to be a professional ballerina at the moment. This isn’t a wish, but a desire. It isn’t just a desire but it is something that she believes is possible understanding that it takes hard work, focus, and dedication.
Similarly, she wants to run her fastest time or her best race every time she enters a 5K. She doesn’t wish upon a star or put that desire out there as much as she trains, sleeps well, eats right, and focuses on the time to beat by setting a realistic time to meet.
Looking at her life, and mine, I wonder where wishing fits? Does it have a role to play? Does my daughter have wishes the likes of which are unknown to me? Do I have wishes that want to be voiced and yet, I don’t give them space or hand them the microphone?
I wonder…
I wish I had answers…
4 comments:
I think wishing gets you in tune with your heart. If your intention is true, and in alignment with the universe, it will happen. Sometimes, though, our minds get in the way - either of our heart, or of the universe.
There's a book called "The Wishing Year." I can't remember the author's name, but I wrote a post about it when I first started blogging in Jan 2009. I went to a talk that she gave, and it was wonderful. She spent a year deliberately trying to make her wishes come true, and what she learned was that wishing is hard work! I don't know if your 17-year old friend put in any work to make her wish happen, but I'm just betting she did. Thanks for the thought-provoking post.
My youngest monkey and I walked home from preschool yesterday and wished on dandelions. The wishes were kept simple, trapped within the present moment, revolving around the enjoyment of each other, a Mama Llama and her 5 year old monkey, holding hands, walking up a busy street.
Sometimes that is what it is ALL about. And sometimes I can simply wish no more than that.
Be well, TE.
DH - Yes, it is a way of Putting It Out THere.
Patty - I bought the book after reading your post about it. I asked my daughter about wishes last night. Perhaps I get caught in the words over the concept, but I am enjoying the book thus far.
ML - Yesterday was a wonderful day to make such wishes... and wishign to live each day as it is and in the moment is perhaps my wish. I love your comment's moment of bliss.
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