What You Wish For

I got a splendid birthday card last month. My friends Annie, Jamocha and Maggi picked it for me, and Annie, who handles all of their correspondence, enclosed some pleasant surprises. The card had confetti inside, and the confetti were cookie fortunes. Now, I love cookie fortunes almost as much as I like cookies, and these were as wise, thoughtful and relevant as any I've ever read. My favourite reminded me: Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.

Since I began publishing Limited Vision last year, I've been inviting comments on my posts and on the blog itself. Occasionally, I've bemoaned the lack of response from my readers, and I've wished aloud that more of you would tell me what you think. Yesterday, some of you did just that.

My post was pretty much a second wind for my Great Canadian Debate piece. Like most second winds, it didn't last long, and added very little to my original effort. The post included a photo of a medical thermometer being put to its proper and intended use. Did I mention that it was not an oral thermometer?

When I've completed a new post, I put a link to it on my FaceBook wall so all of my friends can have a look at what I've accomplished that day. Remember, please, that this is not private correspondence; it is a public document, and I have chosen that it should be so. I am aware of the possible consequences, and, I thought, I was prepared for any potential repercussions.

Very shortly after I posted the link, I had replies from three friends who told me that they found the image that I included offensive. Now, these people are not stodgy, conservative cranks with underdeveloped senses of humour. They are neighbours, friends, colleagues and confidants, whose good opinion has mattered to me for quite a long time. They have been reading the material in this space for awhile, and their comments have always been honest and supportive. If they felt the insult enough to remark upon it, then there are others who feel the same way, but had said nothing.

Of course, I tried to skirt around the issue - it was not my intention to offend; my motives were pure and my aims were noble. Couldn't they just cut me a little bit of slack...just this one time? Again, of course, my aims, motives and intentions did not change the fact that the offense was given, and the criticism was fair.

I've tried changing the photo that accompanied the post, but I didn't find anything that I liked as well. Anyway, I'm probably sulking. Because I couldn't fix the post to my own satisfaction, I've unpublished it. This morning, FaceBook removed my link, because they they felt it had violated their content codes - unfortunately, they also removed my friends' comments.

Thank you, Norma, Darlene and Julianne, for what you contributed - if you can recall what you said to me, can you please repost it here? Thanks to the rest of you as well. I can't promise to behave well all of the time, but I trust you to let me know when I slip over the boundary.

Sometimes, wishes really do come true - be well.