(Posted February 14, 2013)

Of the entertaining, semi-disturbing and most anxiously awaited Superbowl XLVII commercials that were viewed last Sunday evening, Toyota's "Wish Granted" commercial was one to which everyone could relate. No matter the era of our childhood, our culture has ingrained the concept of wishing into our lives. From the 1965 TV sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" to Robin Williams as Aladdin's hilarious blue friend, at some point in our lives we have all shared the fantasy of our deepest desires magically becoming reality. Whether wishing on stars or birthday candles for something as altruistic as world peace or as simple as a sunny day, we all share the desire to see our lives or the lives of others change in some way to fit our vision of the ideal world. Juniata students were asked what they would wish for if they were granted three wishes.


Hannah Hostak '15 Centennial, Colo.:
I wish college tuition would be free. It would be nice to get an education and not have to pay so much money for it. My second wish would be for a giant, bottomless bowl of dark chocolate candy with crystalized ginger in the center. Finally, my last wish would be to have free organic groceries for life.

Neal Donovan '16 Reading, Pa.:
My first wish would be for everyone to love everyone. Then no one would be lonely and conflicts and wars wouldn't cause destruction and pain. Personally, I think it would be awesome to be able to speak every language. That way, I could communicate with so many different people from different places. I would also end world hunger. Everyone should have enough food to eat.

Sam Harrison '13 Northfield, Mass.:
I would like to have the super power to grow anything anywhere. I could just point at the ground and up would sprout a tree. I would also like to apparate Harry Potter-style, because there are people across the world that I want to see every day and I can't because that's a lot of traveling and I have no money. Lastly, I would wish that Freddie Mercury was still alive because he's a musical genius. If he was alive and I could meet him, I would ask him what the highest note he can sing is.

Jason Ray-Alfaro '16 Huntingdon, Pa.:
Firstly, I would wish for omniscience because I would like to know things. I want to find the truth behind all truths. If I know the truth, then my search is over. Secondly, I would wish for immortality because I could incessantly help people. I also could do extremely stupid stunts without the fear of dying. Lastly, I would wish for absolute control of space and time. That way I could travel to different times like the renaissance and ancient Egypt. I would travel to the beginning of time so that I could know what actually happened. However, if I had omniscience, I would already know.

Cantin Gillen '15 Huntingdon, Pa.: I would wish to be able to live a lifestyle in which I could devote myself toward helping others without worrying about sustaining myself. Secondly, I would wish to live a lifestyle that would allow me to support my family and all the people I love. Lastly I would like to be provided with something that would prove the existence of the divine so that I could believe in it.



-Hannah Jeffery '16, Juniata Online Journalist

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