It has been awhile since I sat and wrote anything worthwhile, but honestly nothing too remarkable has happened - that was until a few weeks ago. I had left work and picked-up Emma, my five year old daughter, from her after school care. We were riding home and she was quizzing me on things I know, and questioning everything she knows. She does this quite often and will ask anything and I mean anything. For example I have had conversations with her on why prisoners are allowed outside to play basketball - to why barges do not sink when full of rock. The kid asks some trippy questions and demands an answer. She has been known to ask each parent the same question to see who knows the most – I’m winning according to her. But this is a totally different direction than our conversation a few weeks back, but I wanted to set up the fact that we talk like adults debating facts often.
Here is the conversation we had as well as I can remember it:
Micheal: “Your birthday is coming up. If you had one real wish what would you wish for?”
Emma: “I don’t know”
Micheal: “Hmmm..you can think of nothing? You get to wish for anything and it would come true. Anything you wanted and nothing comes to mind? Nothing at all?”
Emma: “Well, I would wish for some toys.”
Micheal: “Toys? You would wish for some toys? How many toys?”
Emma: “I guess three toys would be enough. Yea. Three big toys.”
Micheal: “That would be a silly wish. Why not wish for something more.”
Emma: “That is all I want. Three toys.”
Micheal: “See, that is the difference between children and adults. An adult might want toys, but would probably wish for a lot of money, like a million dollars, and buy all the toys they wanted. A kid would just wish for a few toys and waste the wish.”
Emma: “humph!”(sounded something like that)
Micheal: “What do you say now? Still wish for a few toys or would you like to wish for a few millions dollars and buy all the toys you want?”
Emma was quite at this point for about a good solid 2 minutes. I figured she had thought I was lecturing her on something and had just become quite in order to avoid further discussion on the topic. In truth she was scheming, as I was soon to learn.
Emma: “I would still only wish for a few toys.”
Micheal: “That does not make sense baby girl. With the money you could buy all the toys you wanted- understand.” (I was worried she hadn’t grasped the idea of greater portions)
Emma: “Yes I understand, but why would I waste a wish on something that isn’t going to happen?”
Micheal: “How so?”
Emma: “Well it is simple. No one is ever going to just give you a million dollars, but they will give you three toys? I would rather wish for something that I know can happen.”
Micheal: (mouth open)
Emma: “So it makes more sense to wish for toys I know I can get than a bunch on money no one is going to give me.”
Micheal: “You are right” (my brain is searching for a flaw to the logic of this 5 year old) “Forgive me for trying to lead you wrongly.” ”The chance of getting a million dollars on your birthday is slim-to-none, but there is a fair chance of getting 3 toys.”
Emma: “Yup”
I know the talk was about wishes, but it got me to thinking about life and realistic goals. This led me to think about a quote I hear often and I use to think it inspiring too, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” I use to consider it a good mantra for life. Set high goals and even if you fail you will be ok. But really this isn’t true. If you fail to succeed your goal you feel no better about yourself. No one likes to fall short of goals, especially those sets by ourselves. If, for instance, your goal is to be a world class chef, being a line cook at waffle house isn’t going to make you feel so good about yourself. I am not saying have low goals, but you should never settle to be among stars, when the moon is the prize. If that goal is realistic (think the honesty of Emma) then we should never settle, never give up, and never wish to be just close. No, landing among the stars isn’t close enough for me.
