The Beauty of Wishes

One thing we all did growing up was make wishes. Ever since we were kids, we have made so many of them — simple ones, unrealistic ones, funny ones. Wishes aren’t about superstition. They’re about hope, imagination, and the belief that something good is possible.

When I was a kid, I remembered my friends and I making all kinds of wishes. It was childish ones — like counting white stones and wishing for what you wanted or looking up at the stars at a particular time and asking for something, believing it would be granted. Of course, all of these were made up, but the bottom line is how much hope we carried — the hope that something amazing would happen in our life. We make wishes during the new year, hoping to start fresh and stay healthy. We make wishes on our birthdays, when we see a shooting star or while tossing coins into fountains. We never miss a chance to look forward to good days and that eagerness alone makes us so human. Stories, movies, and songs that capture the beauty of wishes are often the ones that feel the most magical. There is just so much innocence, belief, and softness in them. Our wishes change. Mine certainly have. Today I wish for peace, clarity, stability, and consistency — the same person who once wished for a flying horse when I was a kid. And sometimes, wishes can be small too — like a gentle morning, or a delicious cup of latte.

As we grow up, what we want changes, but the part of us who wishes never really does. Be honest — how many times have you wished for the lift to arrive faster, the traffic to clear or the day to end sooner? Quite often, right? Wishing is a deeply human ritual. It exists in myths, religion, films, and our day-to-day lives. Wishes remain constant in a world where change is inevitable. Wishing is a form of hope regulation — it helps people tolerate uncertainty. It gives us something to look forward to, something to lean on when control is limited. The reason wishes matter so much to me, enough to write an entire article about them, is because they keep us emotionally alive. They remind us that life is worth living and that there are still things out there that are worth reaching for. It makes life so interesting. Think about where you are right now. Whether it is your dream job or a version of yourself that finally shines, all of it once started as a wish. “I wish I was wiser.” “I wish I lived there.”  It’s these small wishes that gently push you in the direction your heart desires and make you act. Every person you admire for their accomplishments began their journey with a wish. Everything we work toward once lived as a wish, and everything we will eventually receive will begin the same way. Without wishing, even effort feels empty. You can only move toward the life you want when you first imagine a better one.

We wish all the time; we just don’t notice it. I hope this article helps you realize how many wishes you make every single day. Of course, not everything we want will come true. Some wishes will unfold, and some won’t. But that’s not the point. Holding on to your desires and continuing to hope is what makes life feel beautiful and meaningful. So, my dear readers, I hope you keep wishing. Even when wishes change, even when some don’t come true, even when it feels heavy. Keep believing in your heart’s request. It’s not just nothing — it’s a thought sent into the universe, and it always counts.