Twenty Wishes

Okay, I'm nearly finished with a Debbie Macomber book in the Blossom Street series called Twenty Wishes. It's about a group of middle-aged widows, several of whom are knitters, who get together and decide to make a list of Twenty Wishes - things that they would like to do in their lives. Since these women are widows, they've all had a loss of a partner, so they're each exploring ways to find new joy in their lives.

The wishes on each woman's list are really varied, some things are skills they want to learn to do. Simple things like learning to knit, or taking belly dancing lessons. The thing I'd like to do is to finally learn a foreign language - for practical purposes, I SHOULD learn Spanish, but in my heart, Russian has always had an intriguing appeal . . . ever since I read WAR AND PEACE back in high school.

Other things are whimsical, such as dance in the rain with someone they love, going to Paris, etc. Some items are things they want to buy for themselves, such as a red pair of cowboy boots one lady had on her list. Other things involve giving to others, such as donating time as a volunteer, or participating in some charity that is close to one's heart.

There's a heartbreakingly charming little girl in the book, Ellen, who writes her own list.

While the book started rather slow, I am really enjoying it, but mainly because of the list concept. This novel is inspiring me to make my OWN list. What 20 things do I really want to do for fun, enjoyment, enrichment and growth in my own life? I am going to start a list right now . . . feel free to join me if you care to. And if you do, be sure and tell me about it. Maybe we can inspire one another with ideas.