We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.
Louisa May Alcott
Do you remember when we were small children and all of the time we spent making wishes? Do you remember how we crammed our hopes and dreams into one wish and did so with all of our might? Unfortunately, as we grow older, many of us are taught that the act of wishing is frivolous and fruitless. As adults, many of us were taught to do and to stop the “silliness” of wishing. Despite what we were taught, the practice of wishing has its benefits.
Our adult focus has shifted to do, do, do. With all the dos, more dos are born. All of sudden, it seems that there is more to do, with an ever shrinking time to pursue what we truly desire. We have ceased to be human beings and we have become human doings. Making goals and taking action, are positive activities that achieve results, though somehow these types of activities have reigned supreme over wishing, resulting in more doing. There are times when it is more useful to just be and make a wish.
Perhaps, we are entering a time when we need to step back from all of our doings. Maybe it is worth considering how doing too much sometimes serves as a smoke screen, in turn, rendering our wishes and dreams invisible. Practicing moments when we are humans-just-being, may provide a much needed sanctuary from all the doing promoted by contemporary life. This sanctuary provides a safe place to ground ourselves and fully realize what we want. We can start with a wish.
Some wishes are attainable. However, the wish has to exist before goals can be set to acquire it. Making time to contemplate what we want is a necessary action. Wishes shed light on current circumstances and things we may want to change. When wishes are made, hope thrives, along with a sense of possibilities. From here, motivation grows and steps in the right direction can be made. When we wish, we engage in creativity thinking and devise ways to achieve our desires, thus building further momentum. The more that we wish, the more we train our brain to think more positively, which often results in positive outcomes.
Some wishes are simply not attainable. For example, wishes that extend beyond basic physics are not attainable. Wishing for something that is not possible, has its uses, as long as we remain grounded in reality. Bear in mind that many wishes are possible, if they are physically possible. Now what about the unattainable wishes? Wishing to be a unicorn or having the ability to fly is simply fun. It is okay to have these kind of wishes, as it also contributes to the creative thinking process. Something tangible can come from these types of wishes, such as a work of fiction or a piece of art. Either way, no harm is done from these type of wishes. The only risk here is that we might increase our feeling of joy.
It is important to make space for attainable and unattainable wishes. Both types of wishes have important roles to play. Wishing is not frivolous or fruitless. Wishing is a part of being and doing. So go ahead! Make a wish! Your dreams and well-being are counting on it!
