The play was "If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride." I don't quite remember what that was about, but I believe it was put on when my sister was in seventh or eighth grade, opposite her portrayal of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I recall little about that play as well, except for the fact that my sis was Dorothy, and a rather pretty Julie was the Cowardly Lion, in a rather form fitting outfit. Or did I dream it??? Anyhow, my point in this reminiscence is to attack the foundation. Why wish?
Why wish? If we have had it and it was excellent, why would we have given it up? If there was a reason, wouldn't that reason still stand? If we didn't give it up, but it was taken away from us, could it be that part of the reason it was able to be taken from us, is because of the possession itself? By this I mean if you acquire something, and because you acquire it, you have changed something in your life or lifestyle which allows what you've acquired to then be taken away, thus changing your current status, is that something you really should have acquired to begin with. Case in point; you wish for a million dollars. You win a million dollars. Some thief now sees you as the object of their desire and steals said million dollars from you. If you never had that million, you would still be anonymous to that thief, at least as an object of thievery. People who are dying often wish for a miracle of health, and then when they get it, do no better to improve their lifestyle and avoid being thrown back under the truck. Yes, there are definitely exceptions to the rule; you are diagnosed with Cancer for no reason, a genetic heart defect, AIDS by a freak accident, no result of your sex life. For these I say, "wish on!"
I felt sorry for a man who had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. The old joke about, "what could be worse?", is not so old. Something always could be worse...or could it. A man who loses his sight learns to hear better and see better with his heart and mind. A blind man's opinion cannot be jaded by the appearance of the orator. One who cannot hear, hears vibrations and movement better with his body than another. A poor man cannot purchase friends and lovers. I'm not saying I wish to be poor, blind or deaf. If I wish to anything, that is to be wise.
King Solomon truly had the correct wish. To be sagacious is a gift worth getting and which keeps on giving. My beloved grandfather always used to tell me, "Get your education, because they can't take that away from you." Indeed he was correct, but it should be noted that I received this word of wisdom for it's true meaning. Education, in and of itself, for any one subject is truly beneficial, but far beyond any one subject, to receive a well rounded education is much more profitable to the mind. No, this may not profit the body, but to know how man thinks, and why is more important than to just know what he thinks. If you know what a teacher wants, you can be a star pupil. If you know why she wants to teach it that way, you can acquire a lifelong friend.
John Muir said, "Most people are on the world, not in it...." Anyone can stop and go when the light changes, raise their hand to be called on, and even make abundant riches if they fortunately follow the profitable curriculum. However, if no consciousness is stirred within them about what's underneath, I believe they are the ones destined to return.
Wish for wisdom. Wish for consciousness. Ride on!!!
