Guest Post by Anne McCrady – Three Wishes

My very first guest poster is Ann McCrady, I hope that you welcome Ann and enjoy reading about her passion!

A few months ago, as a local author, I visited an elementary classroom to encourage their interest in creative writing. Because I believe that the best pre-writing is best done as informal conversation, I always plan a few provocative questions to open students’ hearts and stimulate their minds.

The first question I asked that day was, “If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?”

Of course, I got the usual answers: video games, fancy cars and flat screen TV’s. Some students wanted a new pet, and a few wished that someone would not have to die from cancer.

Not surprised but wanting to lead the children away from self-interest, I asked the question again, only this time I said, “Now make three wishes for the whole world.”

At first, they were stunned. They frowned, chewed on their pencils and looked at the ceiling. (Their teacher was also stunned — by the absolute silence of the room!) I stood quietly, until finally one then another then dozens of hands shot up in the air.

Their answers made me smile:

That everyone would have a good place to live.
That war would be over.
That all children could go to school.
That we would take care of the Earth.
That everybody could get along.

Now we were ready to write!

“How could we make those wishes come true?” I asked them. “Do you have any ideas?”

As if they could not work fast enough, they bent over their desks and went to work. It is one of the miracles that pulls me back to classrooms: the instantaneous transformation of self-absorbed children turn into global problem-solvers!

What about you? As this recession drags on and all of us are affected, is your personal wish list growing? Have you found your optimism dwindling? Have you let your vision become narrower and narrower, until the world is a blur and all you can see is what’s best for you?

Maybe it’s time to stop wishing for things to be easier or money to be more plentiful or life to go better. Maybe, like my student writers, it is time to open your heart’s doors a little wider. Maybe it’s time to ask, What do I want for the world, and how can I make it happen?

I believe that when we align our own wishes and passions with the world’s needs, amazing things can happen. In fact, you might just experience a miracle yourself: an everyday blog reader could become an extraordinary blessing to the world!

If you already have ideas, let me know!

Anne McCrady is a writer, speaker and social activist who Puts Words to Work for the Greater Good. Her website is www.InSpiritry.com. You can read her blog at www.InSpiritry.com/wordpress, where she urges readers to use a wider lens, an open mind and a gentle heart.