The Mirror of Erised

When I was a kid, and I am sure the same thing applies to you, there was never any problem thinking of something that you wanted for your birthday or Christmas. My brother and I would sit down with either the Simpson’s or Eaton’s catalogues on our laps turned to the toy or sporting goods section and start pointing. I don’t remember circling the hundreds of toys that we wanted, but there was really no need. We wanted it all! The decision was my parents to make, as to which of the hundreds of toys do we really, really need.

 

They were pretty good I suppose, as I don’t remember ever being disappointed on my birthday or at Christmas. I have pictures of Steve and I at Christmas surrounded by toys, wearing a cowboy hat, holster and cap guns one year and the next year dressed in a full hockey outfit. Strangely, neither Steve nor I ever played hockey and I at least never fired a gun in anger. I can’t talk for Steve. What I didn’t notice in the pictures were any gifts for my mom and dad. I’m sure they had gifts, but they were adult gifts which at the time you wouldn’t pose for the camera in your new underwear and socks.

 

I have a birthday coming up and to tell you the truth, there just isn’t anything that I really want. I feel like the happiest man on earth looking into the Mirror of Erised, I just see myself as I am. I have more than enough tools than I use or need, I have clothes that have yet to wear out and there are more electronic, shiny things around here than I can keep track of.

I’m not one of those people that like donations to worthy causes in my name because generally I’m just not that generous. I’m not particularly in favour of African children going hungry, and I certainly don’t like PKD, Cancer or Juvenile Diabetes and to the many millions of people worldwide that have had their lives overturned by some natural disaster, it really sucks to be you. I think people should donate in their own name, not just for the tax receipt, but for the feeling of well being that it will give you. When someone does it for me, I can’t even enjoy the feeling that I did something good. Someone else did something good and paid lip service to me.

There are things that I do want, but they fall into the category of dreams rather than wants or needs. I would love a nice large house on Oahu with a pool in the back yard, a workshop and about a five minute walk to the beach. I’d like to have enough disposable cash that I could fly (first class) to visit my friends wherever they might be in the world. It would be nice to take everyone I know to Las Vegas and watch their eyes pop at how surreal the place is. I’d like to get the grass to grow on the front lawn without needing to do anything to help it along. It should “want” to grow for me. I’d like to meet a few famous people that I think would be interesting and get a chance to talk for a few hours with them. I’d like to feel that I have earned the love I get from my family, all of the time.

Most of those things are pretty hard to wrap in paper or to get without a change in my circumstances, but being the happiest man on earth, I am pretty satisfied with the image that I see in the mirror.