Here I am on a sunny Sunday walking and thinking what would I do with three wishes? I realized with a slight shock that I would not choose a wish for myself or surprisingly even a fantastic house or super holiday. These wishes are usually at the top of my list when I contemplate what I would do with a fantastic amount of money (courtesy in my normal fantasy to a lottery win). No! What came to mind is the Skype call I had had that morning with my daughter, who has just turned 20, and she is struggling , confused…finding life so hard and difficult. Unhappy and dealing with money/debt, relationship issues, loneliness, uncertainty.
I would, I decide, use my wishes to make her life happy, give her what she needs,
Then I came to an abrupt full stop.
What is it she needs?
Money… to solve everything, buy a car, pay off debts, sure that would help ….? But would it?
How can I possibly know what will help this young woman carve out the life she wants, become the woman she is capable of becoming. If life is made too easy, if problems are solved for you, How do you learn? Would my granting her wishes would take away the paths, the choices she might otherwise make. As parent did I make life too easy for her at times, wishing to take away pain, but instead taking away responsibility, the chance to learn the valuable skills which equip a child to feel confident about making their own way? Is it through struggling (even perceived struggling) that we are able to emerge stronger, more powerful? How do we even know what our mistakes and what are the right choices…. Even with hindsight, would we choose to do anything differently?
Maybe it is a real blessing that I do not have the genie’s powers to grant wishes. Or even a time machine to go back and change things I am not sure that I have the wisdom and knowledge to improve on anything. Or rather I am sure I don’t have.
