What We Talk About [When We Talk About Cancer]

Ever since I was little, when I hear the word wish, the Disney song “When you Wish Upon A Star” plays in my head. The word has an innocent, hopeful connotation for me, as it is connected with the magic of a child’s view of Disney. As I have gotten older, wishing has taken on a more mature meaning for me, depending on the situation about which I am wishing. In times of desperation, I find myself wishing to change an outcome. My wishing can also provide hope when I’m wishing for something positive to come to fruition. I also engage in the simple, can’t-hurt-might-help practice of wishing when finding a four leaf clover, blowing on a puffy dandelion, finding a penny, blowing away an eyelash, looking at the clock and seeing that it is 11:11 or 12:34…sometimes these small opportunities for wishing can infuse magic back into what would otherwise be just another moment in the daily grind. No matter how hard I try to fashion things just the way I want them to be, the universe reminds me that much of it is out of my control. That’s where the wishing comes in handy. By throwing a wish into the wind, I am given a sense of potential power in situations where I may otherwise have none (perhaps that’s just wishful thinking!!)