Have you ever squeezed your eyes shut and wished for something so hard you worried you might crush the thought with your mind? I have.
In my crazy roller coaster life I’ve spent the past few days on top of one of life’s peaks at Disney World. It was a spontaneous trip that somewhat resembled kidnapping via RV, but I’m glad it happened. I needed a giant dose of happy and where has more happy on supply than Disney? Anyway, last night was our final night at the park and we stayed for the fireworks show. The theme of the spectacular was wishes. Explosions lit the sky while music from movies danced around us where we sat gazing up at the castle. I’ve never really noticed how many Disney movie references there are to wishes. Wishes on a star, wishes for a prince, wishes for a gown to wear, wishes to be a real boy…
All of this talk about wishes got me thinking: Is it true that wishes really do come true?
I have a lifetime of unrealized wishes behind me. I’ve wished for relationships that were not to be, jobs that were not to be, not to mention wealth, weight loss, outcome of football games, outcome of contests and—of course—new fabulous shoes. But for the past few years I’ve had one and only one wish. Now, I happen to be a little superstitious so I won’t tell you my wish lest it not come true. But, I will say it has something to do with those paper things people read with happily-ever-afters at the end. I’ve wished on every birthday candle, every fallen eyelash, every coin tossed in a fountain, every digital clock reading 11:11 and every first star seen at night. It’s a very big wish, however so is a wish for Prince Charming to swoop in on a white horse for the rescue just before certain death. Even though other wishes in my life have disappeared in the vanishing swirl of smoke from blown out candles, I refuse to abandon this wish. This is because I believe wishes do come true…with enough hard work.
In writing fiction, I’ve often heard the advice, “Torture your characters.” Without adversity the story falls flat and no one cares if Prince Charming arrives in the end or if the heroine is happy or in love. In short, without torment, there’s nothing to overcome and victory has no meaning. The same is true in real life. We have to endure torture to achieve our dreams. We must fight for our dreams. Making a wish is only the beginning of the journey. But, with perseverance any wish can come true. The important part is to find a wish worth fighting for.
Among my group of writer friends, the #CRWbadgirlz (yes, with a hashtag and a z), we have decided this will be our year. This will be a year of celebrating success. This will be the year our hard work begins to pay off. This will be the year our wishes come true. And I truly hope we’re right. So to my fellow #CRWbadgirlz, keep wishing. Keep fighting. This WILL be our year!
“I wish…I wish…I wish…I wish…”
What’s your wish? I won’t tell.
2 comments:
My wish is so similar to yours, I won't go into it. It is our year! In some way, shape, or form - good things will happen in 2012. :D
So true, Heather. We have to take our knocks as writers, grow some thick skin (well moisturized and soft, of course), but never EVER give up on the dream.
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