“Is there a difference between a prayer and a wish?
“You wish for what you want and pray for what you need.”
— Chris Whitaker, “We Begin at the End”
When I was growing up, we did not pray. Maybe that’s because my parents were not exactly religious. Or, maybe I just never felt the “need” for much in my childhood.
But I remember doing my share of wishing …
✨Wish upon a star
✨Toss a coin in the fountain
✨Blow out the birthday candles
✨As I got the bigger side of the turkey’s wishbone
… And always remember not to say the wish out loud, for it won’t come true.
Now that I’m older, I don’t find myself wishing like I did when I was a kid. But prayers are said more often than not. I wonder when that shifted … when wishes became prayers, when needs replaced wants.
That being said, I still to this day toss a coin every time I encounter a fountain … and make a silent wish to myself. After all, it can’t hurt. ✨