by Bebbi (originally posted on Night Owls 11/14/08)
Ever since I was a young child, I have always loved wishing wells. It used to be that every chance I got to throw a penny in a fountain or well and make a wish, I would. For me, wishing wells hold the hopes and dreams of my youth. Also, I loved shooting stars, picking up pennies, and any other way that you can make a wish. I do still, to this day, pick up pennies and say, “See a penny, pick it up and all the day you’ll have good luck.”
I guess that is the Disney child in me, the whimsical, wistful, naïve child who dreams of rainbows, lollipops, tooth fairies, Santa Claus, and all things magical. I think my first memory of far away lands was probably the Wizard of Oz. Also, I loved H.R. Puff ‘N stuff, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Chronicles of Narnia and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. To me, wishing wells are one of those truly mystical things. It is the Happy Magic, the good and the sweet kind that isn’t scary or ugly.
When I was at my dad’s house this past weekend, I was walking (yeah, I know, you hear about *that* enough) and came across this awesome wishing well. I have seen it before, but now I have an outlet for the thoughts and stories that turn around and around in my head! I decided I would take some pictures of it and write a little piece.
In August, when Shiann and I went to my dad’s house, I walked by that well. As I passed it, I thought that maybe, just maybe, it was a real wishing well. Just by itself, in the middle of this property, quietly waiting for someone to come along and grant any wish that one would want to make. The odd thing is, I haven’t made a wish in it yet. Actually, I hadn’t gotten really close to it until this last visit. I don’t want the disappointment that comes with finding that awesome magic that I have in my imagination isn’t real. I would rather just dream. Sometimes, fantasies are way better than the realities. I love that little sparkle of hope and innocence in me, but I will keep my fantasy and I will not go to that well and make a wish. Does that sound cynical? Maybe I should make that wish? Would you throw a penny in and make a wish?
I think the wishing wells of today are those chain emails that come around. Forward this to 10 of your closest friends and your wish will come true. Forward this, and in exactly 11 minutes and 11 seconds you will get a phone call that will change your life. Hmmmmm, I don’t usually send them. I will send them if it is a pretty picture though. Those do not fulfill my need for my wishes to come true, they just make me feel a lot of pressure that if I don’t send them, something bad is going to happen.
Frank Kafka said, “Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” I see beauty in this old wishing well and with that, I can touch and live those hopeful moments of my innocence again. Maybe I will go and pitch a penny in it the next time I visit my dad.
