About A Wish

Hello, and best wishes to you and yours.

Welcome to the “A Wish For Life” website!

My Poem, “A Wish For Life,” is here, along with

the story of how I wrote it, the tender wishes it

carries for everyone, and the gifts it offers to

people everywhere.

“A Wish For Life” invites us all to cherish our

own lives and the lives of others.

Please enjoy this sincere little poem!

Some people enjoy reading and re-reading

“A Wish For Life,” and I hope it will bring you

joy as you read it to yourself and to those you

care about.

The Story Of “A Wish For Life”

I wrote this poem in early 1994 as an

introduction to a book of my poetry. I wanted

to create a poem that would summarize my

feelings about life, love, people, and living—a

poem that would be both a greeting and an

inspiration to readers.

I sat down to write, hoping to put my own

“essence” into words, and, thus, “A Wish For Life”

was born one lovely Berkeley morning.

“A Wish For Life” has taken on a life of its own

since that first day in 1994. Within a few weeks,

I discovered that it rang true to my friends, and

I felt called to share it with dozens of people, all

of whom enjoyed hearing the poem and thanked me.

I soon created small folding “calling cards” with

the poem inside, and began giving them to

friendly people I met. Over the last twelve years,

I have given out thousands of the little poem cards.

Some times I offer the cards to people as we’re

talking. Other times, someone will read another

person’s copy of “A Wish For Life” and ask me

for their own copy, plus a few for friends and

loved ones.

People read “A Wish For Life” silently and aloud.

They ask my permission to read it at all kinds of

family and social gatherings. It has been read at

graduations, community events, memorials,

business meetings, parties, and concerts across

the country.

A sweet friend recently told me that he treasures

the poem and feels that it is meant to go out into

the world now, and find its own wider family

out there. After sharing thousands of little poem

cards one at a time, and hearing about all those

earnest readings, it is time to make “A Wish For

Life” available to the larger world, he says.

He likens its personal impact and intrinsic value

to the Desiderata, and pictures it in places of

honor, displayed for all to read on walls, mantels,

desktops, and articles of clothing.

He sees the poem in people’s homes and in their

hearts; on posters, cards, wall hangings, and

cups; in books and on warm jackets; bringing

smiles and encouragement to more people every

day. He sees meditation and discussion groups

focusing on the “Wish” and changing the world

with their positive intentions . . . .

That is my friend’s happy vision, and I applaud it.

The poem and those who embrace it will show me

what place it will actually have in people’s lives.

A WISH FOR LIFE

My wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find.

I wish for magical days, radiant with love,

Bright with insight and sharing, warmed by peace.

I hope for pivotal times, lasting friendships,

A golden life infused with affection and daring.

I yearn for personal heroes, people who blossom

As they spin intriguing lives, full and awesome.

I long for a life that inspires and encourages,

One that nurtures dreams and fuels creativity.

I reach for a life that brings joy and ease

To me and mine, to you and yours, a light to all.

My wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find.

~ Linda E. Merrill, MBA, CPA, Writer, Editor,

Artist, Jeweler, Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Agt

Prepaid Legal Services Sales Assoc, Notary, . . .

Berkeley, California

The Future Of “A Wish For Life”

Please e-Mail "A Wish For Life" To Others! CLICK HERE

For e-mail to send

I hope that you enjoy this little poem, that it

brightens your life, and that you will want to

forward this e-mail to others, as many as you can

think of, around the world.

[[P.S. When you forward this to others,

please help them by sending it using “Bcc”, and

please maintain the privacy of previous

forwarders by deleting their personal contact

information (e-mail addresses, names, and so on).

I am happy to be the source of this sending,

so I appreciate having you retain my information

here when you do forward this e-mail.

If you see the value in this, I would appreciate

your sharing this hopeful, positive poem with those

you admire and enjoy.

Thank you all so much,

~ Linda E. Merrill ]]

"A Wish For Life" And You

What does “A Wish For Life” mean to you?

Are you content to have a friendly “Wish” e-mail to forward, or do you want a deeper and more visible experience of it?

Is it “complete” as an e-mail message, or would you like it to grow and evolve into a larger and more widely-shared social experience?

Please let us know how you’d like to see this little “Wish” blossom!

I hope that “A Wish For Life” is welcomed and embraced by caring people everywhere.

If it speaks to you, if it gives you comfort and hope, you may want to remember it, to meditate or pray as you think of others and wish them well. Wish everyone true happiness!

As we consciously decide to wish others everywhere happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives, we naturally change our whole world for the better.

There is profound and unlimited good in realizing that

“What I wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find . . . ”

is a Universal and lasting truth.

Some people enjoy reading and re-reading“A Wish For Life.”

They read it to friends and loved ones, to babies and strangers,

to crowds and family gatherings. People read it at graduations,

birthday celebrations, and public meetings.

Where will you read it, and what will it mean to you?

It is intended to nurture, embrace, and encourage all of us; to reflect the unlimited beauty and possibility present everywhere;

to celebrate and enhance the glory of everyday life; and to inspire,

nourish, and comfort each of us daily.

My wish for this gentle little poem is that it find its own audience,

its larger family, naturally and gracefully, as you share it with others through e-mail or oral readings.

And, I trust that you will respect my copyright as you share it privately in these ways.

I do plan to read “A Wish For Life” aloud, and to record that for you to listen to at your leisure.

I feel an “A Wish” book somewhere in the near future, and our website will give you news of the poem’s life and travels in the days to come.

Thank you for being a part of the “Wish” family!

Best wishes to all,

Linda

~ Linda E. Merrill, MBA, CPA, Writer, Editor,

Artist, Jeweler, Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Agt

Prepaid Legal Services Sales Assoc, Notary, . . .

Berkeley, California

An "A WISH FOR LIFE" e-mail, for you to copy,

paste into your own e-mail program, and send:

To:

Bcc: ( insert your personal addressees here )

Subject: "A WISH FOR LIFE" From Linda E. Merrill -- A poem to celebrate life and heal the world . . .

Message:

Hello, and best wishes to you and yours.

Welcome to the “A Wish For Life” website!

(see www.awishforlife.com, which was created

on September 22, 2006)

My Poem, “A Wish For Life,” is here, along with

the story of how I wrote it, the tender wishes it

carries for everyone, and the gifts it offers to

people everywhere.

“A Wish For Life” invites us all to cherish our

own lives and the lives of others.

Please enjoy this sincere little poem!

Some people enjoy reading and re-reading

“A Wish For Life,” and I hope it will bring you

joy as you read it to yourself and to those you

care about.

A WISH FOR LIFE

My wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find.

I wish for magical days, radiant with love,

Bright with insight and sharing, warmed by peace.

I hope for pivotal times, lasting friendships,

A golden life infused with affection and daring.

I yearn for personal heroes, people who blossom

As they spin intriguing lives, full and awesome.

I long for a life that inspires and encourages,

One that nurtures dreams and fuels creativity.

I reach for a life that brings joy and ease

To me and mine, to you and yours, a light to all.

My wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find.

“Linda E. Merrill” < awishforlife22@yahoo.com >

~ Linda E. Merrill, MBA, CPA, Writer, Editor,

Artist, Jeweler, Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Agt

Prepaid Legal Services Sales Assoc, Notary, . . .

Berkeley, California

The future of “A Wish For Life”

I hope that you enjoy this little poem, that it

brightens your life, and that you will want to

forward this e-mail to others, as many as you can

think of, around the world.

[[P.S. When you forward this to others,

please help them by sending it using “bcc,” and

please maintain the privacy of previous

forwarders by deleting their personal contact

information (e-mail addresses, names, and so on).

I am happy to be the source of this sending,

so I appreciate having you retain my information

here when you do forward this e-mail.

If you see the value in this, I would appreciate

your using this e-mail address string as your

“To” addressees:

“Tim Bennett and Oprah Winfrey” <tbennett@harpo.com>, “Marianne Williamson” < mariannecomments@iamplify.com >, “Tavis Smiley” <tavis@tavistalks.com>, ”Louise Hay “ < admin@hayhouse.com >

Thank you all so much,

~ Linda E. Merrill ]]

The story of “A Wish For Life”

I wrote this poem in early 1994 as an

introduction to a book of my poetry. I wanted

to create a poem that would summarize my

feelings about life, love, people, and living—a

poem that would be both a greeting and an

inspiration to readers.

I sat down to write, hoping to put my own

“essence” into words, and, thus, “A Wish For Life”

was born one lovely Berkeley morning.

“A Wish For Life” has taken on a life of its own

since that first day in 1994. Within a few weeks,

I discovered that it rang true to my friends, and

I felt called to share it with dozens of people, all

of whom enjoyed hearing the poem and thanked me.

I soon created small folding “calling cards” with

the poem inside, and began giving them to

friendly people I met. Over the last twelve years,

I have given out thousands of the little poem cards.

Some times I offer the cards to people as we’re

talking. Other times, someone will read another

person’s copy of “A Wish For Life” and ask me

for their own copy, plus a few for friends and

loved ones.

People read “A Wish For Life” silently and aloud.

They ask my permission to read it at all kinds of

family and social gatherings. It has been read at

graduations, community events, memorials,

business meetings, parties, and concerts across

the country.

A sweet friend recently told me that he treasures

the poem and feels that it is meant to go out into

the world now, and find its own wider family

out there. After sharing thousands of little poem

cards one at a time, and hearing about all those

earnest readings, it is time to make “A Wish For

Life” available to the larger world, he says.

He likens its personal impact and intrinsic value

to the Desiderata, and pictures it in places of

honor, displayed for all to read on walls, mantels,

desktops, and articles of clothing.

He sees the poem in people’s homes and in their

hearts; on posters, cards, wall hangings, and

cups; in books and on warm jackets; bringing

smiles and encouragement to more people every

day. He sees meditation and discussion groups

focusing on the “Wish” and changing the world

with their positive intentions . . . .

That is my friend’s happy vision, and I applaud it.

The poem and those who embrace it will show me

what place it will actually have in people’s lives.

"A Wish For Life" and you

What does “A Wish For Life” mean to you?

Are you content to have a friendly “Wish”

e-mail to forward, or do you want a deeper and

more visible experience of it?

Is it “complete” as an e-mail message, or would

you like it to grow and evolve into a larger

and more widely-shared social experience?

Please let us know how you’d like to see this

little “Wish” blossom!

I hope that “A Wish For Life” is welcomed and

embraced by caring people everywhere.

If it speaks to you, if it gives you comfort and

hope, you may want to remember it, to meditate

or pray as you think of others and wish them well.

Wish everyone true happiness!

As we consciously decide to wish others

everywhere happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives, we

naturally change our whole world for the better.

There is profound and unlimited good in

realizing that

“What I wish for me, for this precious life of mine,

Is what I wish for you, what I hope you find”

is a Universal and lasting truth.

Some people enjoy reading and re-reading

“A Wish For Life.” They read it to friends and

loved ones, to babies and strangers, to crowds and

family gatherings. People read it at graduations,

birthday celebrations, and public meetings.

Where will you read it, and what will it mean

to you?

It is intended to nurture, embrace, and encourage

all of us; to reflect the unlimited beauty and

possibility present everywhere; to celebrate and

enhance the glory of everyday life; and to inspire,

nourish, and comfort each of us daily.

My wish for this gentle little poem is that it find

its own audience, its larger family, naturally and

gracefully, as you share it with others through

e-mail or oral readings.

And, I trust that you will respect my copyright

as you share it privately in these ways.

I do plan to read “A Wish For Life” aloud, and to

record that for you to listen to at your leisure.

I feel an “A Wish” book somewhere in the near

future, and our website will give you news of the

poem’s life and travels in the days to come.

Thank you for being a part of the “Wish” family!

Best wishes to all,

Linda

“Linda E. Merrill” < awishforlife22@yahoo.com >

~ Linda E. Merrill, MBA, CPA, Writer, Editor,

Artist, Jeweler, Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Agt

Prepaid Legal Services Sales Assoc, Notary, . . .

Berkeley, California