EdItoR's NoTe

ne of my favorite Disney
films is Pinocchio. I !ike the
fact that there are no terri-
bly violent scenes, such as are
found in newer Disney productions
including Lion King and Beauty and
the Beast. Even the film's villain, that
marvelous fox with the top hat who
sings "Hi diddle de dee, an actor's
life for me! You wear your hair in a
pompadour, you ride around in a
coach of four, you stop and buy out
a candy store, an actor's life for
me!" is relatively tame.
I also admit that no matter how
many times I see it, I always get a
little misty-eyed when
Pinocchio turns into a
real boy. It's such a
wonderful idea: wish
for something — not a
fancy new car or a big-
ger house, but a dream
from the heart — and it
comes true.
Some months ago Oprah Winfrey
suggested viewers write down the
good things that happen to them
each day. She promised it would
be a life-changing experience. This
way, she said, we would begin to
see how fortunate we really are
and appreciate our blessings.
The other day I began to think
about some of the things I have
prayed for — not the frivolous
requests, because I confess there
have been times when I have been
in a terrible rush and said, "Please
God, let me make that stoplight" —
but the true desires. And I was
taken aback, speechless almost, to
find that I had received everything
for which I had asked.
At the top of my list was a family.
For the life of me I can't understand
this notion (popularized on so many
TV shows) that the single life is just
one big swinging, non-stop party. It
may mean fewer responsibilities,
but it means a great deal of loneli-
ness, too. I don't know, honestly,
how I could function without my hus-
band. Not only does he actually
know where to add brake fluid in

the car, he brings me chocolate
and flowers and perfume, comforts
me when I am sad, and is always,
always on my side. I'm sure I could
say to him, "Today I told everyone I
passed on the street, 'You're an
idiot!' Was I wrong?" and he
would say, "Of course not! They
mustthave deserved it."
Then I prayed for children and, as
those of you who have been kind
enough to read my column each
week know, I have three.
I prayed for good health, for a
roof over my head, and for the
well-being of friends and family.
Many of you helped me pray for
baby Lydia Lacey, the
granddaughter of my
mother's best friend.
Recently I learned that
Lydia, who had a 95-
plus percent chance of
being blind and deaf fol-
lowing her illness, made
a complete recovery. Physicians
told the family it was literally a mira-
cle.
There have been other dreams ful-
filled, too. When I was a young
girl it was my dream to grow up
and be a reporter. I wanted to
write, write, write. As I matured, I
came to realize that getting paid to
write, write, write is a privilege,
because today most employers are
looking for computer technicians or
secretaries, and besides, half the
world's population is convinced it
can write (the other half, of course,
are aspiring actors).
The next time you're feeling blue, I
encourage you to take a few
moments and reflect on your own
life. Think back to all the times you
have asked God to help you, and
consider how often your prayers
were answered. I imagine that, like
me, you will find yourself extraordi-
narily grateful.

\it

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

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