The great thing about a wish list is it doesn’t have to be realistic. Maybe it’s better if the entries have some reasonable chance of occurring, but I placed no such restrictions for my 2021 submissions. These aren’t in any sort of special order.

I wish our country would more closely resemble the one I pledge allegiance to – “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” If we get the “under God” part right, the rest will take care of itself. A change in politics is far less important than a change in our hearts.   

I wish that COVID-19 would be eliminated, not just controlled or managed but totally destroyed so the only evidence remaining would be in the history books. The eradication would be so complete there’d be no need for vaccinations. Everyone would wonder what to do with their unused masks.

I wish the Class of 1970 would be able to have the 50-year reunion we had to postpone. My friend and classmate, Smitty, had everything ready to go in 2020 when the pandemic interfered. Reunions are not fulfilling if hugs aren’t allowed. Surely social distancing is almost over. 

 I wish that Operation Warp Speed, which resulted in effective coronavirus vaccines in an astonishingly short period, would be expanded to seek cures for cancer, Parkinson’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s, and other devastating conditions. We all have people dear to us who need a bold effort without delay.    

I wish that Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons would be on their way to the Super Bowl. Football is not something I have much interest in, but I admire Matt for not complaining even after games when he has set records for getting sacked. He keeps getting up off the ground and putting forth his best effort while not pointing fingers at others. He’s an honorable man with a lot of talent. It’d be nice for him to wear the ring of a champion.

I wish that reliable research in the medical field would establish solid evidence there’s no such thing as too much chocolate. It would be terrific to make similar discoveries regarding many other foods, such as my wife’s insanely delicious apple nut cake, but that might be expecting too much for a single wish.  

I wish Dude, the mongrel dog with the gentle heart who helped drive our son home from California, would be healthy again. He has a mass in his stomach and the prognosis is not good. If life eludes him as expected, my other wish is for a peaceful departure.  

I wish Miracle Grow would announce a hair product line. It already works remarkably well for plants so probably with a little tweaking would be effective for scalps. I realize, however, that growing crops on barren ground is challenging. Scattered footlong hairs won’t improve the look of the landscape.

I wish someone would discover a use for Bahai grass that would make it so valuable people would begin stealing it from yards and right-of ways.

I wish the armadillos that keep destroying our flower garden would move. Thanks to two traps and a long barrel 22 caliber pistol, dozens of them are no longer a nuisance. But I don’t enjoy shooting any kind of critter and would gladly leave them alone if they would do the same for me.

I wish for inspiration for future columns. My tank has been running on fumes lately. Hopefully, there’s a fueling station over the next hill. If you have an idea feel free to email me at gneiljoiner@gmail.com or send a letter to 64 Coley Crossing Road, Vienna, GA 31092. You can even share something from your wish list if you don’t mind it being passed along. I may not be talented enough to figure out how to use your comments in a column, but the analysis is absolutely free. 

Finally, my wish for each of you is that you experience a year filled with blessings too many to count, joy beyond measure, and peace that surpasses all understanding. My list isn’t in any sort of special order, but I saved this one for last because it’s both important and realistic.

The abundant life is ours for the asking. If you haven’t already asked, I wish that you would take care of that right away. That’s why I’m adding this wish to my prayer list as well.