5 Times to Make a Wish

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of UPS. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a kid, I can remember making wishes on anything I could find. I relished the opportunity to make a wish – whether it was on my birthday or as we passed a fountain. Now, as an adult, I don’t often look for those opportunities anymore, but there are still times I wish that my wishes could be granted. Here are 5 traditional times to make a wish.

Wish on a Star – The tradition goes you can wish on the first star in the sky at night and also make a wish on any shooting stars you see.

Add a coin to a Wishing Well – Toss in a penny or another coin into a fountain, well, or even a pond and secretly share your wish.

Birthday Candle Wishes – Once a year, make the best use of your Birthday candles! Make a wish and then try your best to blow out all of your candles.

Wishbones – Two lucky people can grab a hold of one end of a Wishbone, like from a cooked turkey or other fowl. Make your wish then tug and pull until the bone breaks, hoping to end with the larger piece of the wishbone.

Dandelions – When dandelions have turned to wispy seeded puffs, make a wish and then blow as hard as you can trying to blow off all the seeds.

It’s been fun to share the different times to make a wish with my boys as they have grown. But with the fun, has also come some real and hard moments. Just a few weeks ago, my 6 year old told me his holiday wish, and it brought me to tears because I know it’s not something I have any power to grant for him.

My son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about 6 weeks ago. It’s been a huge learning curve and change for our family as he needs daily insulin shots and blood sugar level checks to keep him healthy. So when my son told me, “I wish my diabetes would go away” I stopped in my tracks. Forget the wish of toys or games that a 6 year old boy should be wishing for. His wish was real and heartbreaking.

It’s my wish, too, despite how impossible it is. I wish for a cure for diabetes. While there may not be a cure available today, I have hope that with all the research underway, advancements will become available during his lifetime that will help improve his body’s ability to make insulin again on it’s own. It’s not a wish that will be granted anytime soon, but I still hold out hope for a wish come true. In the meantime, our family will do what we can to keep him well and support diabetes research in whatever way we are able to.