Sunday Seven 25th Edition

Sunday Seven

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

I tried to find the source of this quote, and the best I could come up with is that it is a "Mother Goose Rhyme." One more specific source that said it was from a book by James Halliwell, published in 1844, titled Nursery Rhymes of England. Wherever it came from, the meaning is simply that if wishing could make things happen, then even the most destitute people would have everything they wanted. I have felt a little destitute of late, and some of the horses in this beggar's heavily-stocked wish corral are:

Horse #1, named Risky Business. I have been riding this horse regularly in the wee hours recently. I wish we could sell our cursed house -- at this point I don't even add the caveat of "at a decent price." I just want it sold!

Horse #2, named Caribbean Breezes. I wish I could be sitting again in one of those deck chairs pictured above! (Those are my feet you see in the pic, BTW.) We haven't been on vacation (which has come to mean "cruise" to me) in SO LONG!!! I want to be lounging on the deck of a ship out of cellphone range, away from family responsibilities, away from reminders of that unsold house, and away from lawn-mowing and finding a place for all this "stuff" that we still haven't found a place for in the house. I want to feel that sea breeze in my face. I want to eat food that I haven't had to prepare or even think about ahead of time.

Horse #3, named Declining Vigor. I wish I had the stamina and high energy level that I have enjoyed most of my life. That stamina has decreased dramatically in the last couple of years. It is so aggravating to have the desire and inclination to do things but lack the necessary physical reserves to complete it. Isn't it sad that the wisdom of age and life-experience doesn't reside parallel with the energy of youth!?

Horse #4, named Bigger Concerns. I wish this war in Iraq were over. Most importantly, people are dying daily to accomplish the mission there; but in addition, the conflict about our involvement is becoming more and more oppressing. Opinions are held so strongly, and no one seems to see any validity at all in the view of the opposition. The climate in the nation is tense to the point of rupture.

Horse #5, named Declining Horizons. This horse is a sister to #3 above. I wish I could start a new adulthood with the wisdom and knowledge I have gained through the last 40 years or so firmly tucked into my head and heart but with 40 years ahead to realize dreams. There are many things about the way I've lived my life that would be different the second time around.

Horse #6, named Futility. I wish that a certain person of our acquaintance would find himself irresistably drawn to the idea of beginning a new life in Timbuktu or Tasmania - those are such beautiful (and far away) places. I would volunteer to help him pack.

Horse #7, named Youthful Trust. I wish I could recover the trust in human nature and the goodness of the universe that I held as a basic tenet of my life for years. I miss the sense of security it gave.

Sunday Seveners, I hope I haven't rained on your parade today. I truly didn't mean for this to sound as negative as it came out. We all live with wishes, and these are seven of mine that have given me rides this week. Happy Sunday and upcoming week to each of you!