Be Careful What You Wish For

When I was 11 years old, I watched a TV show called Make a Wish.  I recall it being the only program on Sunday mornings that was made for kids. Each show profiled a different topic such as an animal, an invention, or an occupation. Tom Chapin (brother of musician Harry) was the host who narrated film clips and sang songs about that week's topic. Make a Wish opened with Tom singing the title song that had empowering lyrics about pursuing your dreams. I think I liked the song more than the show and often sang the first few lines of the title song:


"Make a wish, have a ball, dream a dream, be it all, 
If you want it, you can get it, but to get it, you've got to want it,
Anything you want to try, just let go, fly high,
Make a wish."  


Make a Wish came to mind when I caught myself wishing for my detailed editing work to be over. It's been a long haul and day and night editing loses its novelty over many weeks. I immediately caught myself because the experience of writing is part of my "wish," where learning a new craft and articulating my beliefs on change management are as important as the completed book. The old adage, "be careful what you wish for because it might come true," is good council for most aspects of life, including this one. Wishing that a part of an incredible lifetime experience is over is missing the point. I am "having a ball" and "being it all," so I must remember that it's all good.


Phil