There was a time in Roadchick's life when she collected the little slips of paper that came encased in fortune cookies. They were taped to her computer monitor as little signposts of wisdom and luck. As time went on and she changed jobs, the slips were taken down and tucked into a box for safekeeping and are still around somewhere.
Right now, there is only one fortune taped to the panel on the 'chick's laptop at work. It reads:
"Your dearest wish will come true."
Can there be any better fortune? Probably not - that is the royal flush of fortunes. The tricky part is - what would her dearest wish be? What if there was only one wish that could come true and none of this wishing for infinite wishes?
It's something that crosses the 'chick's mind from time to time while she's pondering other problems. Sometimes that is the easiest problem to solve. The answer rarely changes.
But then, sometimes, Roadchick wonders what it would take to change her wish from one that is so self-centered. She could wish for world peace. She could wish for an end to world hunger. She could wish for a cure for an incurable disease like HIV/AIDS or cancer or diabetes. She could wish for homes for the homeless, jobs for the unemployed, wisdom for world leaders.
There are the wishes that strike closer to home - that the breast cancer diagnosis that recently came to light for a family member would be a mistake. That Rockboy find a direction and a purpose and a college he's interested in.
And when Roadchick thinks of all the things that she could wish for, she knows that she should be more generous, more magnanimous, more giving. But, she also knows that unless giving up her wish would save Rockboy's life, she would have a very hard time giving up the wish that is so dear to her heart. If giving up her wish for another meant that hers could not come true, she would struggle with it. She likes to think that she would do the right thing, even if it wasn't the right thing for her.
And right now, Patient Reader, the 'chick doesn't know that she could do it and that shames her. So her little fortune from a cookie eaten long ago serves to remind her that she still has work to do - to give more easily with less regard for herself. After all, what if there was only one wish?
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Sunday Scribblings: Fortune Cookie
Posted by Roadchick at 10:29 PM
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7 comments:
Well, Rockchick, never let it be said that you are just a funny-face - this was a rather poignant piece of writing.
I always try and make my wishes, in the off-chance that they might come true, as broad as possible, so that I should get caught up in the effect myself... Thereby dodging the bullet in a rather cowardly fashion.
Although my wish would now be that I hadn't just got confused about your name like that, Roadchick.
Pacian~
If being called Rockchick is the worst thing that happens today...then today is a very, very good day. A funny story - a blog that this 'chick admires is written by someone calling herself Rockchick. So...yes, the idea was somewhat purloined and there was much envy on this 'chick's part that the other name was taken. But, as happy accidents do occur, Roadchick also seems to work pretty well; maybe better than Rockchick.
Thanks so much for your comments - the 'chick always looks forward to seeing what you have to say!
I never thought about that before! That would be just too hard to only have one wish with so much I want to wish for for myself and all I love and this whole planet. I'd want to wish we never have a psycho right wing Republican for president ever again, that ideas would just flow and flow easily, that there be cures for every painful disease, gees, theres so much! To have to choose just one, wow, that would be awful if you really knew that this one wish could come true!
Hmm... good question!
That's a tough cookie to chew - if only ONE wish could come true, giving up your own wish for your own good fortune in exchange for something bigger and better for the whole world. But I don't think it would necessarily have to preclude you achieving your own dream. In fact, what if that was the secret reward for having done the right thing--even though you THOUGHT it would mean not getting your own wish?
Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
Very thoughtful post. I think achieving a dream involves more than one wish - a lot of hard work as well! The dilemma described in your post is a tough one - finding a balance seems to be the key.
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