Careful

I don’t think anyone ever told me it was wrong, exactly, to spend my wishes on myself.  I could want things, ask for them, covet them, even.  But wishes were in another dimension.

The earliest thing I actually remember wishing for consistently was along the lines of “peace love and understanding”.  That was adolescence, the 60s—wasn’t every sane person wishing for the same thing? Aren’t they still?

Even now I am cautious of wishing.  But I can’t help wishing humans would consider the consequences of what we say and do, and take responsibility for what happens as a result.  And I wish fervently that we would be better caretakers of the earth and all of its inhabitants. 

And for myself, today?  I pour another cup of coffee–

watch birds
open wings, touch the sky–
all I need

For Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday where the theme chosen by Anita Dawes is what you wish for. I’m also linking to dVerse OLN, hosted by Linda.

When I was searching for this song I found more different versions of it on YouTube than any other song I’ve ever looked for. It obviously strikes a chord.

and of course, the original…

52 thoughts on “Careful”

  4. Nice – a little Elvis for the evening. And what a pair, he and his wife. Wishing? Kind of think it (best) if mutual. I wish for you. You wish for me. Obviously don’t happen that way, but that would be the wish to be wishing for. A worthy wish. And – even if a worthy wish falls short, it is still a worthy endeavor. What more to be? Nice posting K.

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    1. Thanks Muri. I spent a long time listening to the different versions. There are a lot of us, evidently, wishing the same thing. May our thoughts and words be heard.

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  6. Hi Kerfe, I think many of us wish this same thing. I do my best to contribute all that I can to reducing my carbon foot print. I am a believer in “God helps those who help themselves.” I believe many of us do our best to contribute in our small way. It all adds up.

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    1. I think that’s true Robbie. Unfortunately those who don’t care seem to be louder and more influential right now, with a bigger impact on everyone’s lives.
      That was one of my grandmother’s favorite sayings. They lived a simple life, and shared what they had. Something we could all aspire to.

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  8. Once again, you’re with the sparrows. We don’t actually need more than they have, but we want infinitely more. Just as well wishes don’t work. If we only had one, how many people honestly would wish for world peace, for us to stop wrecking the environment, stop causing famine and poverty? Far more would wish for a trip to Mars or a new house, or just loadsa money.

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  10. Careful is a fantastic title — as in, be careful what you wish for. It matters. As for the question made even more relevant by those great artists, like them, like you, like me, the answer is Nothing’s funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding unless we believe in the impossibility of it. It’s then we stop working towards it and wishing for it. I wish us all Peace, love, understanding and a miracle to make us believe it IS possible.
    Kerfe– that bird painting, and the artwork at the intro, fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I bless you.

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  15. I love sparrows. During my childhood they were everywhere around me, now they are hardly there where I live. Ain’t it so simple, if we have “peace, love and understanding”, everything we wish for would follow. A beautiful post that resonates deeply.

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  16. My grandmother used to say that wishes were maps without directions. I always took that to mean that if you have a goal, but no plan to get there, it degrades into an empty wish.

    I enjoyed this poem, it made me think. 🙂

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  18. I was reading about Greta Thunberg’s upcoming book and though conservation and climate-related change is not the only thing I wish we could come together on, I feel like it’s the most likely bridge. My idealism is a slippery thing but you’ve captured the daily confrontation so well. As long as I can sit with the birds, I have hope to keep me going.

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    1. Saving the earth does seem like a common cause–although unfortunately many still see it as “bad for the economy”, so I’m not sure if it can really work.
      But birds…they are a lifesaver.

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  20. Pingback: #TankaTuesday #Poetry Stars No. 295 |#ThemePrompt – Word Craft Poetry

    1. Thanks Lona. I think hope is different, and essential. And possibility is definitely part of it–we can work to realize them.
      Wishes somehow seem to require divine intervention. Or perhaps a gathering of like-minded souls.

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