Reasonable Wishing

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 For some reason, I have been thinking about wishes. If a fairy godmother appeared before me, or I found a genie, or the panel on Miss America inquired, or Santa Claus wanted to know what I wanted, or I saw in a vision God asking what I would that He give me, what would I say?

Anywhere from my 20s on down, I couldn't imagine asking for something intangible. I remember swinging on a swing as a kindergartner, absolutely positive that when I opened my eyes, I would be wearing a beautiful pink princess dress because God would know that's what I wanted. [Frankly, I'm glad I didn't end up with a dress, because how useful would that be to me now, several sizes bigger?] There was always some new toy, or an enticing dessert, or a best-seller book that I could ask for, and be satisfied with. Why would all the beauty pageant contestants on Miss Congeniality declare they wanted world peace? And certainly all of the wishes in the lyrics of "Grown Up Christmas List" were nice, but not really appealing [may have to do with the sad music], and also exceptionally unlikely.

I'm not in my 20s anymore. I'm in 2021, having survived 2020, with great hindsight but still poor visions of the future. Family relationships have changed so significantly that it is becoming hard to relate to my relatives, let alone some of my countrymen. [That is not, in fact, uncommon for people, but I had never imagined being one of them.]

It is as a different person, then, that I approach God, to ask for something more difficult than creating a small pink gown out of thin air. I wish for understanding. Not just for me [I don't exactly have the following--and hence potential to influence--that King Solomon had], but for every person. I am not asking that all people be good; I am asking for answers. Why did she do such-and-such? What was the reasoning behind his decision about x? Did Diana, on the Great British Baking Show, leave out Iain's ice cream on purpose? If we knew people's reasonings, surely there would be less bitterness. If I had lived in, say, the Soviet Union, and had been arrested because of the false testimony of my neighbor, I could know that my comrade's testimony had been given after inhumane torture. If, after a long and stressful day in the hospital, I am terse or rude [and I promise you that such a situation has in fact happened, multiple times], I would hope those around me would understand. Not to excuse such behavior, but at least to sympathize with it. 

Justice and Mercy are often spoken of as on opposite ends of the scale. Some may think that gaining sympathy of perpetrators would mean the balance tips toward Mercy, but I'm not even asking that everybody forgive one another. I'm asking for reasons, and surely logos does not run counter to Justice.

God, let us understand one another.

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