Wish List

Once a month all of the women in my family get together and have Chinese food. It started about six years ago. I really look forward to it. It give us all a set date that we can count on seeing each other without having to wait until a birthday or holiday.

All of these women have been a part of my life since I was a very small child. Some of them since the day I was born. And I am sure when I speak about them to others they think my family is huge as I am always saying "my aunt..."

But that is what they are, they are my aunts. And I feel blessed to have them.

One of my aunts wanted to make this last dinner we had different. She felt that it might be nice to give it a theme. So she asked everyone to come to dinner with a wish. Now, this aunt is a little mushy and can sometimes be a little over the top with her words. But it doesn't make me love her any less.

So when she said it was going to be a wish night with a candle exchange I thought it was a little hooey. Monday afternoon she sent me a reminder e-mail to make sure I bring a wish.

My first thought was " I wish my boss was not such an asshole" but then I thought better of it as that is probably not the best dinner topic on ladies night. And him being an asshole is all in how I react to him. I can fix that on my own. No wish necessary. My second thought was to wish I was a size two. Then I thought that was just too vain. And being that I am on weight watchers (and down 20 pounds!!!) I figured that a size two was actually on the horizon. So again, no wish necessary.

As I sat there at my desk watching the humming birds get nectar from the lantana's outside my window, I thought, you know, a wish should mean something. How often are you given the opportunity to make one? Sure there are birthdays and shooting stars. And this theme might be a little hooey but, maybe this was one of those rare nights that a wish would come true.

So I thought about what I would wish for. What in my heart do I really want? It's not a mini cooper or a tiny booty or even an apartment in Manhattan, though all of those things would be nice. That's not what I really want.

What I really want is, this list that I wrote and read to all my aunties at dinner. I wanted to share it with all of you too.

My wish list...

I Wish that everyone’s wish would come true,

I Wish that everyone would truly be happy in their own individual definition of happiness,

I Wish that people would feel loved everyday,

I Wish for peace in Darfur and other war torn countries,

I Wish that people would read more books and watch less reality T.V. (Project Runway and Top Chef excluded)

I Wish that there weren’t any yellow ribbons tied on trees,

I Wish that people cared more about fixing our planet,

I Wish that cruelty to animals was a horrible tale of the past,

I Wish that people would drive more patiently,

I Wish that frozen yogurt was a core food at Weight Watchers,

I Wish that people would sit less and see the world more,

I Wish that we would all wake up tomorrow morning a million dollars richer,

I Wish that there was better protection for the rain forest,

I Wish that there were no more starving children,

I Wish that we all really believed it when people say how beautiful we are,

I Wish that there were no such phrases as: “Endangerd Species”, “Climate Crisis”, “ All Time Unemployment High”, “AIDS Epidemic”, “Incurable”, “Inoperable”, “Malignant” and “Suicide Bombing”

I Wish that elected or not, Barack Obama will be able to continue his valuable role in our country and help us change our world,

I Wish that there was no such thing as a “republican” or a “democrat” but, one group of Americans who can put their differences aside and work on fixing our nations broken spirit,

I Wish that we would love more than we hate, laugh more than we cry, hope more than we doubt, give more than we take, and believe more than we dismiss,

But mostly,

I wish that everyone would be as lucky as I am to have this exceptional group of women in their lives, a group of Mothers, Grandmothers, Sisters, Aunties, Confidants, Role Models and above all, Friends.

What about you? Is there anything that you wish?