Beware. Oh, Take Care!

I’ve tried to live by the adage that you should be careful what you ask for. While some nasty wizard might not decide to grant your wish with a demonic laugh, you could wind up with more than, or less than, you imagined. There was this one woman with whom I was hopelessly in love. Well, you get the general idea. It turned out to be a hell of my choosing.

Similar cautions go for other, more innocuous wishes. Hedge those requests, friend.

Now, what about things you think are foolproof? Like not needing sleep and suddenly having all the time you need to be productive. Sounds great. But would you give up a night’s rest lying next to your beloved? What about inspiring dreams and waking up feeling renewed in the morning? Besides, sometimes we just need time to escape from daily life.

I admit that sometimes it seems like infinite patience is required to put down the tools, leave the partially carved ship portrait, and go in to get ready for sleep. But often that’s just what’s needed; time when my mind does not have it and the three other projects stirring.

Besides, every time I think of long nights working on a succession of projects the old Disney cartoon The Sorcerer’s Apprentice comes to mind. I’d be one of the brooms forever carrying buckets. No thanks.
Sleepless? There would be disruptions to my neighborhood. I’d be running the bandsaw at two AM, the whack of mallets at three, and the sander at five. Soon, there would be petitions from neighbors and trips to the police station. I’d wind up stuck in a cell all night. Unable to work and putting up with the Fuzz’s terrible breakfast of rubbery eggs and grits.

See what I mean about unintended consequences? Be careful what you wish for.