Did your wish come true?

Last January, I got a crazy idea to invite people to join me in a wish tree project. My call for fellow wishers led to an amazing influx  of emails and envelopes in the mail containing wishes of all types. Small and large.  On January 20th, I hosted a gathering of friends and family here at the house. It was a super cold day but we bundled up to hang our own wishes and then everyone helped tie ribbons to the dogwood tree for all the people who sent their own ribbons. I bought a bunch of happy colored ribbons and we used those for the wishes that came in by email. 

After we hung the ribbons, we all went inside for a feast of cupcakes, cookies, blood orange cosmos, coffee, tea and lots more to choose from.

Here is the post wrapping up the project with lots of photos. Here's a peek at the refreshments. And the Flicker set from the day.

We let the ribbons fly on the tree until it was about to bloom in spring. Some released themselves before we got out there to remove them. One very tenacious ribbon remains. I don't know whose wish that was but it obviously needed a little extra time to work, so we've let it take it's time.

 

My ribbon was the big purple one up there between the green ones. It was really long and I decided to choose a forked branch to tie it around. I wished to find my one true path in life. Imagine my aggravation when every time I checked on it, it had would itself around more than one branch. Finally, I understood. My path is like a branch working from the outside of the tree in. Small branches lead to medium ones that join into a medium branch that leads into a strong trunk. All of my parts combine to make the whole. If a branch is weak, it will fall away but that doesn't make me any less as a whole.

I felt very conflicted at that time about where I was going with my life. Outwardly everything was dandy but I felt unfulfilled. A year later, I've found the courage to break free from one career to follow the call of another. When we hung the ribbons, I also felt very resentful that it seemed I would have to choose between pursuing a new career and having a child. As the year progressed, I realized I can do both if that is what I choose to do in the future. When my ribbon wrapped itself tightly around two branches that seemed to be a sign to me.

However I choose to interpret it, I feel like my wish came true.

My Sweets made his wish for Obama. It seems fitting now that the anniversary of our wish tree is Inauguration Day.

If you participated last January, I'd love to have you share what happened with your wish.

Comments

[susanna's sketchbook]

I remember Kristen telling me about your wishing tree. Isn't it amazing how everything has turned out since then? Now you are studying a passion in school. Obama will be President. Wow.

[Deb]

Yes! My wish came true! A beautiful new bathroom! Thank you for doing this.
I really do believe in the law of attraction. It will be exciting to see how many wishes came true.

[jenica]

how beautiful...
except that i don't even remember what i wished for! aaack.

xoxo

[Janice]

I, like Jenica, am suffering from 'wishing tree brain fart' disease. I'm sure it was something lovely that waits on the swirling winds change of direction. I'll know it when my brain smells it.