And now…(drumroll), the Genie in the Lamp!
(Can’t you just hear Robin Williams’ voice here?)
Remember as a kid how you thought you could outsmart that Genie in the Lamp by using your third wish to wish for more wishes?
Well, whether you’re of the Barbara Eden I Dream of Jeannie set or the Disney Robin Williams Aladdin set (or both!), or you actually go back to the Middle Eastern origins of genies (jinn or djinn, as they’re known in Islam), I’m pretty sure Genie would be on to you.
I, however, would like to stretch Genie to a full 40 wishes. I have complete right to do that as I carry on with a wave of Top 40 lists currently populating Medium. Thanks, Nicole Akers, for allowing me to offer my own twist!
Well, 40 is neatly divisible by 4. (Incidentally, it’s neatly divisible by 2, 5, 8 and 10 as well, but I choose 4). So, I’m going to break my list of 40 wishes into 4 separate groups (and, for you math buffs, that makes 10 per category), just for diversity’s sake.
My 10 Slightly Humorous Wishes
- Chocolate had the calories of celery.
- We could eat ice cream for meals and never gain a pound. Or kilogram.
- We could play on clouds.
- I could immediately understand (and communicate in) whatever language I hear.
- Humans could teleport to other places and time travel to different eras (without messing them up).
- We could simply think things, and they’d be done. Only for good things, of course.
- All homes automatically cleaned themselves.
- We could travel through space. Easily.
- Humans could dance with the fish. Without clunky scuba tanks, etc. And without sharks.
- Icky awkwardness would disappear. (There’s space for funny awkwardness in my book.)
My 10 Philosophical Wishes
- Light would overcome darkness. In all circumstances.
- Love would conquer all. Always.
- Truth would rule the day.
- Goodness would prevail. Meanness would just stop.
- Humility would trump hubris. Enough said.
- Humans would cooperate for the good of all.
- Every human being would recognize the inherent dignity he/she possesses, and would recognize that in others, too.
- Humans would take much better care of this incredible big blue ball we call home.
- Humans could understand the breadth, length, height and depth of God’s love.
- Our world would be a more genuinely joyful reflection of its Creator.
My 10 Practical-ish Wishes
- Marriages would thrive.
- Families would thrive.
- Every single child would be loved and nurtured, no exceptions.
- People would choose to build bridges, not walls. (And yes, I am thinking about that one, too. But I especially mean metaphorically.)
- All people would realize the incredible strength we have in diversity of all types, and appreciate it as an expression of God’s unfathomable creativity.
- Nastiness and evil intent would not find space or audience on the Internet, nor fill the corridors of Washington, D.C.
- Humans would really address this issue of climate change, in a coordinated manner. Kindly.
- All forms of violence and abuse would cease.
- Sickness would be no more. Humans would be healthy and live to a set age. And then, “poof!” If that’s unrealistic, then at least everyone who needs healthcare can get it. Every. Single. Person.
- Suffering, should it exist in any form, would produce dynamic growth in and opportunity for each person bearing its burden.
My 10 Personal Wishes (This is kind of bucket-listing it.)
- I wish to spend copious amounts of time reconnecting with friends from around the world (and making new ones), while traveling and living abroad, exploring their villages, cities, countries, cuisines and cultures.
- I wish to experience tremendous fulfillment as my husband and I build out our venture, YourGlobalFamily, building it into a movement long outlasting us.
- I wish to spend time learning — really learning — several more languages beyond the Japanese and (somewhat minimal) Chinese I currently know. And then I want use them on those travels and times living abroad!
- I want to read, write, exercise and learn something new, every single day. Or very close.
- I wish to write several more books. And enjoy at least one of those books becoming a bestseller. Because it’s just so dang good and it changes people’s lives.
- I hope to be an active part of our young adult kid’s lives (whether near or far), and our (eventual) grandkids’ lives. Watch them forge their own journeys and encourage them along the way.
- I desire to encourage, love and reach out to someone every single day. Because relationships are my shtick.
- I wish to get outside, breathe fresh air, move my body, cultivate my garden, and enjoy creation whenever I possibly can.
- I want to laugh a lot, play frequently and dance with abandon, whether people are looking or not.
- And I wish to make God smile as much as possible.
There you’ve got it! Genie, you may have your work cut out for you. But I’ll be patient and cooperative. You have at least my lifetime to make it all happen!
What about you now, Karin H, Ivan Kokhno, Jordin Kelly and Doris Swift? Make this a list of 40 whatevers, suitable to you!
P.S. I guess I wish I could add to my list that Robin Williams was still with us. I miss his amazing talent. Same with Michael Jackson (before he got weird) and Whitney Houston. They all left us way too soon.
Copyright 2019 © by Caroline DePalatis, YourGlobalFamily. All rights reserved.
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