I just finished reading an incredibly sappy romance novel – for the second time. It’s not a steamy novel; it’s a sweet one. I like it because it is full of hope, friendship, redemption, love, and new beginnings. Right about now, I could use some hope and positivity. Most of the people that I see around me look like they could, too.

Twenty Wishes is about a group of widows who meet on Valentine’s Day full of sadness and regret. They have been widows for different periods of time. Each has a unique story and a common sense of drifting without purpose.

Man, I recognize that state. Lately, it feels very easy to fall into the habit of focusing only on the next step, the next thing that needs to be done. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this way of proceeding if you have a lot to do in a short amount of time. I use that process and wrote a blog about it.

However, it stinks as a way of life. Just plodding along and only looking up long enough to see what needs to be done next is boring and disheartening. Life is better with a little fun and wishful thinking in it.

The widows in Twenty Wishes decide to add some spice into their lives when they start talking about making a list of 20 wishes. The wishes are as unique as the women. One wants to buy a car all on her own. Another wants to dance barefoot in the rain in the moonlight. Another one wants to go to Paris with someone she loves.

They only started with a couple of wishes. The power of their transformation started when they began scanning their environment for things that appealed to them. Instead of looking down, they looked up. They checked in with themselves and asked, “Do I like this? Does this sound interesting?”

As they began moving toward their wishes, they expanded their worlds. They met new people and broadened their definitions of themselves. One took belly dancing lessons, and another became a lunch buddy for a second grader. Those steps altered the courses of their lives for the better.

You can’t read the book without thinking about what your own wishes might be. I couldn’t come up with any in the beginning, but I began paying attention to the things around me and asking myself which ones piqued my interest.

The first nudge came when I was talking with a friend about languages. She said that she wanted to take a language-intensive course of study in another country. I thought, “That sounds like fun! It would be even more fun if we did it together!” We started making some loose post-COVID plans on the spot.

I have something to look forward to! There is something unique that I have never done before on my distant horizon. Truly, the pandemic does put a damper on wish fulfillment, but it is a time when wishing is needed. Wishing gives us something to look forward to and pulls our eyes up from just watching our feet take the next step.

I have about five wishes now, and I’m not in a hurry to find the rest. The looking is as much fun as the dreaming.

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