We’re never too old to dream

In Times Square on New Year’s Eve, a giant ball of colored light drops more than a ton of confetti on merrymakers who gallivant around in sparkly hats with buzzing, clacking noisemakers.  As they gaze up, the paper swirls like delicate rainbow snow onto their crowns and glittery eyelashes. What is on those strips of confetti?

Wishes.

The visitor center in Times Square has a Wishing Wall that is plastered with the hopes and dreams of visitors from all over the world. People of every age, size, belief, gender and ethnicity take part in the wish making, a tradition that is practically innate to mankind. They write their dreams on the myriad pieces of crepe paper and hope they come true.

The vibrant colors of these wishes, pinned one on top the other, are reminiscent of a jar of jellybeans. They speak of peace, love, longing, health, wealth and an endless multitude of things for which we humans yearn.

Is it not a coincidence that the bright colors and shapes vary as the wishes do? It’s as though they stand for the differences between the people who make them. The anonymity allows for them to be placed confidently, without worry of judgment or admonishment. People who will never meet pin wishes next to each other, where they remain side by side in peace all year until they make their swirling journey into the roaring New Year’s crowd.

These wishes are a symbol of what it means to be human. We all breathe, sleep and dream. We all have things we secretly want to happen. We all have homes we long to go back to and far off lands we dream of visiting. We all have fears, insecurities and obstacles in our way. We all hope for something better, for our loved ones, our neighbors and ourselves.

We all make wishes.

Although the illusion of falling stars and lucky pennies may tarnish as we age, the enchantment of New Year’s Eve still exists for many of us.

Keep the magic alive. Make a wish.