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We have the power to respond with choice to what happens in life.

We do not, however, have the power to determine what life gives us. We can only play the averages. And unfortunately sometimes the choice with which we can respond is terribly limited. Sometimes the only choice someone has is to somehow endure what is happening to or, worse, being done to them.

My wish is the universe's command? Complete BS.

It was not my wish to realize that getting exactly what I wanted had negative effects. In fact, it was something I learned and came as quite a surprise to me. So, no. It was not my wish. It was not my expectation. I expected the opposite, actually. And the response life gave me was in no way commanded by me.

Life gets the first move. We respond as we can. We, hopefully, learn from it and mature.

Life contains hard lessons. Hopefully, the hardships don't turn out to be too much for us.

Sometimes life contains horrible cruelty. To suggest in any way that the hardships endured by people in this world is somehow their wish or fault is beyond glib, it's inhuman. I have friends who had several children die of crib death. Is this somehow their wish? It happened to their first baby. When the second one came along, they wished and wished it would live a long, healthy life. But it didn't. They, apparently, did not have this divine power you say everyone has. Or should I tell them that they gave the universe a big turn off somehow and that they should simply stop it?

Every horror you could possibly imagine and more has been endured by some human being in some way at some time. Many are occurring as you read this. None of victims wished for it and none of them could wish their way out of it.

What you propose is a cushy belief held by those with cushy lives. It's the stuff of the upper middle class and above. Not the beliefs of the poverty stricken in third world countries. Not the beliefs of people who have to worry about being imprisoned and tortured as political prisoners.

Life contains horrors. Life contains wonder and beauty. Sometimes it's a matter of choice. Sometimes it isn't.

People can do an awful lot to make their lives better. Sure. Most of us have a lot more power and choice than we realize. But it's not magical. It's not from wishing. It's from being aware that you can (or maybe even doggedly refusing to believe you can't) and doing something.

I am not saying all this from sour grapes. I live a life of abundance. I have a lot to be grateful for, and the more I live, the more I realize that life has limits, and, paradoxically, the more freedom and enjoyment this gives me.

We are not Gods. We are men and women. We have limits. We grow old. We get sick. We get injured. We die. Unfortunately, we often have to witness the passing of our loved ones and grieve their losses, because they are not immortal Gods and Goddesses. They have limits just like us.

The limitations in life make life more valuable and precious. They make you value each day and not take it for granted.

Accomplishments are worth something because they are not effortless. People of character are cherished and admired because we are not perfect, and it is hard, yes HARD, to be a good person when push comes to shove. We are not the universe's privileged children who are perfect to the core. We are flawed and at the same time more than our flaws. We can sometimes even turn our flaws into benefits if we are creative and determined enough.

This is what makes love, understanding, and compassion meaningful and valuable. Don't you get it? It's not because we're inherently perfect and lovable. It's because that despite our warts there is (usually) still something (sometimes a lot) to love.

The two bit, paper thin, smoke and mirrors belief system you're peddling isn't worth crap. Worse, it's harmful to the human spirit.

It's trash.

I'm just glad that life will generally batter and smash to pieces belief systems like these. It's better to face facts... and facts have an annoying habit of not going away. Reality is what continues to exist despite your beliefs to the contrary.