Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin'

Atwood north


Here is Atwood lake from one of my escapades.

"Three Wishes" came to my hometown this past week-end. I stayed clear away from the frenzy. I caught myself wondering why anyone would go stand in line for hours and pitch their wish to this show. Me, I would be wishin' that somebody was cleaning my house while I was standing in line for hours. I think I understand the show's point of view, but I am not sure how the everyday Joe/Jane thinks about this and what he or she hopes to accomplish by this.

I was speaking to the daughter of somebody who was going to wait in the long line to pitch a wish. She said "Hey, it's a year of free groceries." Hmmm. So, this is why she was going? I didn't ask what her wish was. It got me to thinking. What would I wish for? Many thoughts crossed through my mind. Help for a little old lady. Help for a single mother trying hard to raise any number of children by herself. Help for a war veteran who has no legs or arms? I didn't even know where to begin.

After reading the Sunday paper and the wishes that people did pitch, I realize it was a little more personalized than what I was thinking. They had a special someone in mind and the show was looking for something unique, something to breathe inspiration back into the American people. I don't watch the show. I don't watch much television that is popular. I have never watched an entire episode of ER, Law and Order, Survivor, American Idol, Alias, or whatever forensic science show is popular nowadays. I'm not a prude. I watch t.v. now and again. I just like the documentaries. I watched a good one on Stonehenge the other night. I always thought the Druids built it, but this new one from "Naked Science" says "no." I fell asleep before it was over and my daughter had to fill me in.

Back to three wishes. I just don't care to get caught up in the hype. I have come to the conclusion if I wanted something for somebody I would work towards it. I wouldn't wish it. I don't play the lottery. Things like this aren't my cup of tea, so to speak. I don't know. Maybe I don't get it. Maybe this is why I am out of the loop a lot of times. Just like the song by Ani Difranco, wishin' and hopin' ain't gonna do it for me.

Of course, I wonder what the girl's mother was wishing for. I wish I would have asked her. (smiling to myself). I'll take it she didn't get her years supply of free groceries.

On another subject, I wish someone would explain to me why this couple feel the need to have so many kids! Because they CAN! I was talking to somebody at work about this. They said 'as long as we aren't paying for them.' I guess she meant welfare. But, I wonder. Can the father earn enough income to support sixteen children? (I am being a little bit daring here, and assuming that the Mother does not work outside the home. Forgive me. ) Or, do they qualify for funding from the government? When is too many children, too much? What about health care? If he is in public office, does the government pay the health insurance for this family?

I always received "wow" when I told people I come from a family of eight children. I have an Aunt (West Virginia) who had sixteen children, of which fourteen lived. But, she had them over such a time frame that the older ones were gone and married when the little ones were still coming along. My oldest brother was graduating high school when I came along.

This family had an eldest of seventeen as the latest was born. With sixteen total, that is a lot of legs running around the house in between. It is just way beyond my comprehension. The Mother could be one of those people that are perfect for multiple children. The patience, understanding and kindness that we so rarely see these days. It is probably a lot like running a daycare center. I wonder what the state law in Arkansas is for the ratio of children to adults.

Gotta love google - this state allows one adult per fifteen four-year olds, even though the experts recommend no more than eight to ten children per adult. That is in a daycare facility, not a home. So, if the father is away at work, and it is summertime (no school in session), I guess we can stretch it and say that seventeen-year old is close enough to an adult to count. Safe! And, we can stretch it farther and say that the two fifteen-year olds can pretty much look after themselves and help watch over the little ones. I have a fourteen-year old and I swear she needs looked after a heck of a lot more than she did at four and five. At four and five years old she didn't trek off with her friends. Stayed right in the yard, she did.

Now, what would really put the icing on the cake (for me, at least) is for me to find out that they are home-schooled. That would really top it off for me. If it's true, just don't tell me. My mind would blow, really it would.