www.mutualexchange.org

So two weeks ago, Saturday, found me wandering aimlessly the streets of Chicago, alone, desperately in search of something random and exciting to cross my path, something out of Hollywood, a serendipitous bolt of lightning to strike, or a delicious art-babe to suddenly be in peril and need assistance from a strapping young pseudo-artist once intellectual (ante-weed) mang like myself. And I nearly tripped over a sign leading all who happened to be strolling along Michigan Ave. to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s sale of student’s work. As fate would have it, I wandered the aisles, bombarded by brilliant work and dazzling smiles of the cool-hip sexy art kittens pawning their brilliance at rather reasonable prices. I attempted to flirt with a few of the artistes while repeating the newly learned phrase “I’ll be happier when debt free (I.B.H.W.D.F),” to myself. My therapist hopes to change years of destructive thinking through acronyms and inner dialogue. But I digress. The art was amazing. I was inspired to see so many thirsty individuals ready to set the world on fire with the manifestations of their perceptions, their dreams and visions.

One particular scheme which ended up breaking my inner dialogue and causing me to cough up one whole dollar was a non-for profit group by the name of The United Front for the Mutual Exchange of Wishes. The premise is simple…..donate a dollar, receive someone’s wish, create a wish of your own and return that wish to the organization in the self addressed stamped envelope. And yet the scope of this project is ginormous, considering that nearly every rational being on this planet wishes for one thing or another. A quick glance at their website: www.mutualexchange.org, informs eager beavers that the organization is devoted to the understanding of ethics and the cooperative exchange of a mutual favor.

I ended up opening my wish later that evening, postponing piquing my curiosity with the hopes that a revelation of fate was at hand.

And I opened the card to reveal:

I wish I knew where my room key was.

Well I wished that I could have received a wish of more profound significance in the grand scheme of things, but that isn’t the point after all, is it? The next morning I woke up and jotted down the following wishes. I’ve yet to decide on which I’ll send on in an attempt to engage in the cooperative exchange of a mutual favor

…..wishing you a happy friday.

jobe's wish list: 2005

I wish I could hold this moment in the palms of my hands and fill my heart with its purity from now until infinity…..and beyond.

I wish I could hold her close enough that our bodies became one, souls merging into an indistinguishable union of eternal bliss, in the name of the lord, amen.

I wish corruption did not prevent third world nations from rising out the ashes of failed governments, shady contracts, oil for food, and the fattening wallets of greedy pigs.

I wish everyone was able to find meaning in their lives without enduring pain and fear, confusion and tear filled bouts with hopelessness.

I wish the truth were revealed and all men and women were enlightened.

I wish we could contaminate the waters of the middle east with prozac, in an attempt to ease the pain and the delusions, and open their minds to positive change

I wish every child could receive at least one Christmas present this year and feel the gift of grace rush over them as they rip the paper open in anticipation of……..

I wish religious diversity was cherished, that it didn’t provoke century long wars and hatred, in the name of a God who would spank the bottoms of each and everyone who chose war over love, death over companionship, fear over enlightenment, corruption and pollution of society’s lands and minds in the name of their own agenda.

I wish for a thousand pure wishes for each and every human being on the planet.

I wish animals were treated better.

I wish I knew my real father for one day.

I wish for the day I can experience love unparalleled.

Whoisjobe.