So I asked my students to write about their three wishes and they were not allowed to wish for more wishes (LOL!).  I have been thinking about it since I assigned it as I wasn’t sure what I would choose.  My students were incredibly thoughtful in their posts (you can check them out by clicking any of the blue links on the right) and some were quite extravagant.  Lots of fun to read!

After much pondering I have decided that I would like to win some money.  This would be my first wish.  Not millions and billions, just enough to cover a mortgage for a modest house for me.  It would be nice to have a home that was completely paid for without worrying about possibly not being able to afford it.  Plus, a nice wee house would get me out of my condo where I am so over sharing walls! 🙂  Though I do love my cozy wee condo, listening to and dealing with neighbours who are so close has become very old after eighteen years!

My second wish would be for my health to always be good.  While I only deal with allergies and a cold or flu very rarely, it would be nice to know that I would never get ill.  I am happy with growing older, because that is life and life would get very boring if it never ended, but to not deal with aches, pains and illness…that would be fantastic!  I could travel and explore and not worry about my health.

I would wish for my final wish that everyone could get along, and stop all the craziness going on in the world right now.  No barriers based on race, religion, or sexual orientation.  Recognize everyone just as a human.  Support one another, help one another and just be kind.  It is amazing how far a little kindness can go!

 

What would you wish for?

  Our world is filled with excess.  I have travelled extensively and I see it a lot in many places.  The place I see it the most is here in Orange County.  Everyone always wants the best and the most recent.  Because of this, we create a lot of waste.  It makes me sad that some people measure their happiness by what they have.  I know that I am very lucky…I have a lovely home, I am able to remodel, I can travel, I have my dream car, I can get everything I need when I need it, etc…but at no point have I ever measured my success or worth by the things I have.  I have worked hard to earn the money to be able to have all the stuff that I do have.  But if there was a fire, the only thing I would truly care about are my travel mementos and photographs that cannot be replaced.  I know somebody who would rather spend $1000 on a purse, but I would rather spend that $1000 to travel and gain life experience.  My worth is based on what type of person I am and by the good people I surround myself with.

This image also made me think of Salva from A Long Walk to Water.  He described the toys that he would make with his brothers.  They would create cows out of materials found in nature and then would play with those.  They don’t have a store to go to and be able to buy things.  It is the simple things in life!

So, I have this nasty habit of making resolutions and then breaking them.  I always say I am going to do my dishes before I go to bed (they are always piled up).  I always look at the clothes on the floor (clean after doing the laundry and so there are piles waiting to be put away) or the ones stacked on the chair near my bed and I tell myself that it only takes a minute to put them away, but what a chore it is!  Ironing…that doesn’t exist in my house! 🙂 Exercising…everyone always says they are going to exercise in the new year.  The ads all over the magazines and TV tell us that is what we are supposed to do…a new beginning, and so a new you!  I am no different.  But I never do a very good job at it.  So, therefore, I just don’t make resolutions.  The only resolution that I have ever made that I don’t break is that I don’t make resolutions.  It is the safest route to take so that I feel as though I have accomplished something rather than being disappointed at my not meeting my own simple goals.

Those people who make and keep resolutions must have better willpower than I do!