James Baquet

    Like many proverbs, today’s expression, “The wish is father of the deed,” sounds good at first, but, upon closer inspection, it seems to have some problems.

    Does it mean that we must always think about something before we take action? What about acting on impulse? On the other hand, does it mean that wishing always lead to action? Isn’t it possible to wish for something and then not take action to achieve it?

    This reminds us that many proverbs need to be thought about, tested, and carefully applied to particular situations.

    Let’s see how the “wisdom” of this proverb might be challenged.

    James sees his student, a boy named Jeffery, studying in the library.

    James: Hey, Jeff. What’s up?

    Jeffery: Oh, hi, James. Just trying to wrap my head around some math problems. I wish I were better at it!

    James: Well, you know what they say: “If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.”

    Jeffery: Yeah, but everything begins with a wish, right? “The wish is father of the deed.”

    James: Sure, sure. But wishing alone is not enough. You have to turn your dreams into action!

    Jeffery: Granted. It’s just that actually becoming better at math is hard work, at least for me.

    James: Yeah, “Everyone wants to get into heaven, but no one wants to climb the ladder.”

    Jeffery: I hear ya. So, any tips?

    James: Do you remember the old joke? A man walks up to someone on the street in New York and asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” And the other guy answers…

    Jeffery: “PRACTICE!”

    James: Exactly. So that’s what you have to do. “Practice makes perfect” and all that.

    Jeffery: OK, I’ll do it. But wishing is easier!

    James: Ha!

    Notes on the dialogue:

    — To wrap one’s head around something: To fully grasp something.

    — If wishes were horses…: An old proverb, meaning that there is a big difference between wishing for something and actually having it.

    — Yeah, but…: This and “Sure, sure. But…” are friendly ways to disagree. The “Yeah” and “Sure” mean, “I agree with what you’re saying to some extent, but there is more to it than that,” and the “but” tells what that is.

    — Granted. It’s just that…: Similar to the above expressions. “Granted” means “I accept what you are saying;” “It’s just that” is a way of making an exception, or dodging around the truth of the matter.

    — I hear ya: I understand.

    — The old joke: This well-known joke turns on a simple idea: The first speaker is asking for directions to Carnegie Hall, a famous theater in New York; the second speaker takes the question to mean, “How can one be asked to perform there?” and answers accordingly.