On the Nature of Wishes

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WhenIMG_0079 I was a little girl, there was the persistent belief that you could make a wish by blowing on a dandelion. As an adult, I can now see that the only wishes likely granted that way were the wishes of the dandelion to spread its weediness far and wide, but seeing these the other day made me think about the nature of wishes.
We have so many superstitions about the objects that can prove transformative — birthday candles; necklace clasps; eyelashes — that can somehow take the utterly intangible and make it real. As though they are gateways, somehow, to the larger power of the universe, the power to manifest and make it so.

Is the world a better place with or without wishes? In a way, they are little packets of hope, whispered to no one and kept close to ourselves. But sometimes hope turns to disappointment, disillusionment. So is it better to not put faith in magic at all?

I didn’t pick that dandelion. I didn’t close my eyes or send its seeds scattering on the wind of my breath.

But I can’t say that I didn’t hope, if only for a millisecond, that a little girl might come along who would.

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16 thoughts on “On the Nature of Wishes”

  1. When I see a dandelion ready to fulfill wishes I’m torn between leaving it where it is OR making a wish. About worrying about who will have to pay for the lawn care service should more dandelions appear from these seeds OR whether this time the little bugger will grant my wish. Adulting is hard.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. wildchild47

    Dandelions are INTEGRAL to a healthy ecosystem. And they only grow in certain northern climates in the world. And if people would stop trying to recreate “perfection” by catering to the idea of golf greens – then maybe, just maybe, life would be a hell of a lot better – and a lot more “wishes” – the ones that truly would bring a lot more happiness and fulfillment in life – would come to pass.

    The folly of human nature never ceases to amaze and disappoint me.

    LONG LIVE AND LOVE THE DANDELION!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Red

    Mine was holding your breath as you pass a cemetary. Somehow that would grant your wish. At least blowing something away – dandelion seed, eyelash, candle smoke – appears to carry something away.

    I still hold my breath as I drive by cemetaries. More to see if I can hold my breath that long, though.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ha! It’s good for lung capacity! That’s interesting, I thought it was bad luck not to hold your breath by cemetery (not that I do, which might explain my internet problems today). Isn’t strange the difference it makes thinking good luck versus bad luck.

      Like

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