Posted on by Cathy

Wishes

Wish ~ desire or hope for something to happen.
If wishes were fishes we’d all swim in riches!

A winter wish from a few years ago!

Two photos taken in the very early 1950s came to light the other day and a whole lot of emotions bubbled up to surface – some good some not so good

Plus the word Wish….

I would have been about 9 in the first one – it was a happy day.  My grandad from Belfast had come over on the boat to visit us in England and an uncle plus his family were there also.  I had on a new dress and remember wishing I could wear it every day and that Grandad didn’t have to go back home.

As we were growing up there were times when my sister would wish she didn’t have to wear ‘cast offs’ with turned up hems. She would never accept the fact that as much as she wished otherwise, it wasn’t my fault I was growing out of clothes, she was growing as well, money didn’t grow on trees and she was next in line – as you can see.

You never get anything by wishing, my mother was fond of saying.  Hard work and determination is what’s needed!,

That was my mother, wearied from the war years, the one I wished would love me more than the sister she gave my clothes to.  If she loved me, she wouldn’t have got angry and cut (chopped) my hair off with her big scissors.  I remember squealing and shouting as she brushed it one morning, trying to untangle the knots before it was plaited for school, all the time saying to me ‘I wish you would be quiet and stand still’  Oh how I wished I’d done as I was told that day – my mother was no hairdresser and I went to school that morning looking a bit – odd 

It’s strange that all these years later I’m reflecting on this and wishing things had turned out differently – my mother and I never got on, my sister continued to get my ‘cast offs, I never grew my hair long, Grandad went away back across the Irish Sea and I only got to see him 3 more times.

Oh, but listen to this, my sister still wears ‘cast offs’ – chosen very carefully with a good eye for what will suit her – from ‘Green Boutiques’ (aka charity shops)😊

And….. the beach with a hammock turned up on Green Island Qld back in 2009……..still looking for the winning lotto ticket though 😊

Are you a dreamer hoping your wishes come true?
~ ~
or more like my mother
~ ~
who thought wishes were pointless?

Linking to  Wednesday’s Words & Pics hosted by Denyse.
Where you’ll find lots of life to read about

#loveispatient

18 Replies to “Wishes”

  2. “Are you a dreamer hoping your wishes come true?
    ~ ~
    or more like my mother
    ~ ~
    who thought wishes were pointless?”

    Oh my what a question!

    My sister and I had big dreams, that seemed similar when we were young. It turns out she valued financial security more than I, and I valued exploration more than she. Some of our wishes did come true, and some of them did not.

    Reality dictates that no matter how hard you work, what you sacrifice, how good a strategist you are, how stick-to-it you are, it takes a whole lot of luck to turn that into a granted wish unless you are born into favourable circumstances.

    Time has taught me that sometimes my wishes could never have made me as happy as my “failures” have done.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Oof.. I really could let it all out on this subject… but I won’t!
    You do look happy in those photos, despite all those wishes 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I was into heavy wishing all the years at home with my parents and not many of them happened. I wore hand me downs from cousins and the dreaded home made dresses mother made for me. the problem was, they looked home made, she was not the best at sewing. it was home made and handme downs. I learned real quick that wishes did not come true unless i made them happen. My first job at age 18 each week I bought a new pair of shoes and something new to wear to work. All new, all paid for by me, while saving up for a down payment on a car to drive to work because i hate riding the bus. I think we must make our own wishes come true

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I do wish – but with few expectations.
    Mind you, for important wishes and dreams I am prepared to put in the hard yards to ensure they become reality.
    I had one of ‘those’ haircuts too. And still cringe remembering it.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. “If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.”
    This was often quoted to me and I could never understand why a beggar would want a horse. Horses were for fun. Beggars needed food, clothes and shelter!
    The other one I heard a lot was “Don’t wish your life away”.
    I must have voiced a lot of wishes as a kid!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. My mother, named Caroline, often said “If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.” If she wanted something, she worked for it. If we wanted something, we mostly asked for it.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. I remember pulling wishbones as a kid, but i don’t remember what I wished for. Maybe I’ve never really made wishes as I’ve no expectation they would come true. I have ideas about what I might do or how I might feel about something and then tend to pursue the ideas. Some work, lots fail but they give rise to new ideas.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. When I was younger, my wishes never came true so I stopped making wishes a long time ago. I have worked for most things in my life. Other things which are really good have come to me just by being, I guess.

    My older sister and I shared hand-me-downs for a few years….they were not really new when she wore them. But then, I grew faster than she did and by the time she was nine and I was six, the roles had switched and I needed the used clothing first. Always thought justice was done when that happened.

    So pleased to find your site.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. What a sweet photo of you in the hammock. I think I do more dreaming and wishing the older I get. I feel fortunate because my Mom and I had a good relationship. She was generous and loving and supported our dreams. She also modeled hard work and had high expectations for the four of us. “God helps those who help themselves,” was one of her sayings.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. A very reflective post Cathy, isn’t it funny what finding old photos can do to the memory? Sisters always go through a bit of a ‘time’ with things like wearing cast offs and following in the footsteps of the older ones. As the eldest I often wonder if I’d have grown up differently having been born 2nd or 3rd. Lovely old photos of you and the hair cut story is a bit sad for you.

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  15. I’m dreamer but more for enjoying the dream than wishing it happens. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I’d do with a lotto win – but only about the party I’d have. The party changes from time to time as I add new bits or change venue…it’s not really about the life changing part at all. Just the great party….ha! I love that your sister, having hated hand me downs is now choosing recycled wear. Humans are hilarious in our wiring…it all gets in and manifests one way or another….#WWandP

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  17. Gosh that was a post I reflected on Cathy. I didn’t have a sister (and I am glad, just a brother, I am too competitive to have had a rival I think…) but my Mum and I didn’t really get along because I was so different but I am now missing her in some ways. I have, because I have changed and Dad has aged big time, had pretty amazing and frank conversations with dad about mum and her tough life growing up, and I would like to have some kind words with her. I was with her in her last days and got to say words of care and love but to have had a conversation then wasn’t possible. I have used writing to help me though and that’s always a good idea. I am so sorry you had your hair cut in a fit of anger. Sigh. Thanks so much for joining in this week’s WWandPics link up where I got to celebrate being 73. Still getting used to the new number…Here we are, it’s December and there are 3 more weeks to link up till I take a short break. I always enjoy seeing your blog pop up on the website. Take care, Denyse.

    Liked by 1 person

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