Wish Lists

It’s that wonderful time of year – those weeks where we head to the stores or our craft rooms or kitchens to buy/create an item from a loved one’s list of wishes. Our goal now, and in the weeks ahead, is to fulfill a wish (or wishes) for every person on our shopping list.

But what if, along with checking off items from their wish list, we gave people the gift of what we wish for them? What if we shared with our loved ones what we  hope for them in the coming year?

In that vein of bestowing a wish, here’s what I came up with for my three daughters:

I’d wish for my eldest a box of wisdom. Come January she’ll begin deciding what path to take in high school – what classes to take, how hard to challenge herself, and where to leave room for unwinding. And I wouldn’t just wish for the cookie cutter thinking that poses as “wisdom” in our culture. I’d wish for wisdom founded on the principles of our faith.

For my middle daughter I’d wish for a jar of courage. She’s so much fun to be around when she’s being her own eccentric self. But she keeps her personality hidden from all but those with whom she’s closest. I’d love for her to have the courage to let even little bits of her goofiness show through in settings outside our home.

And for my youngest daughter, I’d wish for a bagful of close friendships. She loves being around people and is well liked by many of her classmates. But she often has to seek out others for company. I’d wish for a handful of friends who seek her out regularly, friends she can count on to stick with her and stick up for her.

What’s funny is how, as I think about what I’d wish for, I see the seeds of those wishes already in place. My eldest has been wise in choosing her friends and activities as a junior high student. She’s well on her way to being a wise high schooler. My middle child has shown much courage in the face of ongoing struggles with her health – amazing courage and optimism. I can’t help but believe that courage is establishing roots in her through the trials. And my youngest is spending more time with a handful of girls who seem to be the kind who could form loyal friendships one day.

A lot like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion in The Wizard of Oz, it seems those things I’d wish for my girls are already true in some respects. I wonder if I were to create a list of wishes for others in my life, how much I’d find to be already true for them too.

Try this exercise yourself. Then tell us here: what’s one thing would you wish for someone in the coming year and how did creating that wish change your view of that person?

Photo credit: “Free printable Christmas Wish Lists” by the green gables on Flickr made available under CC license