Birthday Wishes

I'm afraid my blog has fallen by the wayside as I spend much of my freetime trying to win #NaNoWriMo, but as the month is coming to an end, I hope to have more time to spend here.

Tonight, I want to talk about the power of birthday wishes. I know many people don't believe in wishing or miracles or good luck. I consider myself a fairly practical person, but I'm also the girl who makes a wish at 11:11, or when the clasp of my necklace kisses the charm. I'm also the type of person who works for something, but believes a little magic never hurts.

Four years ago, I spent my birthday working on the Presidential Management Fellowship application (better known as the PMF). I've wanted to work for the federal government for years and I thought this was my best shot. If I didn't make it in then, I would plan to just stay with the state government as I was almost to my ten year anniversary. I spent three hours working on the tests and application. By the end of it, I was exhausted. But I made a wish as I sent it in that I would be selected as a PMF finalist.

Almost two months later, I got the news: I'd been selected! Not only that, but I was offered the first position I applied to. At the time, I joked that my birthday wish came true. I didn't put a lot of stock in wishes, even if I wished for things all the time. After all, I'd worked hard for my first master's degree and I put a lot of thought and effort into that PMF application. 

This year for my birthday, I spent most of the day writing and editing a project that has become both dear to my heart and the bane of my existence (I think most writers feel that way at one point or another). I wanted to finish it on my birthday and I was successful. I sent it off, just like the PMF application, with a hopeful heart and a wish. That wish came true tonight.

I know this post is a little cryptic and very light on the details, but I hope to share all when I'm able. The point of I'm trying to make here is: after this experience, I will never doubt the power of birthday wishes again, especially when they're mixed with a lot of hard work and a sprinkle of good fortune.