While visiting England in March, we saw the Egyptian section of the British museum as well as the one in our local museum in Saffron Walden. We then went to Canterbury Cathedral. I had already told India about the Cathedral: she would see beautiful windows, ornaments, statues, and that some people were even buried there. India was excited about what she was about to see. As we stepped in, she asked where we would find the mummies.
There were candles in the cathedral, and some us were lighting them. I asked India if she would like to light one. She didn't know the Finnish word for praying, and since wishes and prayers are more or less the same thing, I said she could make a wish when lighting the candle. India asked me if she was allowed tell me her wish, or would she need to keep it a secret. I said these kinds of wishes did not need to be secrets, and sometimes people even wished together. What
ever her wish was, it could be her prayer. She would probably say she wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up, or something like that.
India didn't hesitate.
"I wish I was a horse".
I had to turn around to compose myself. That was certainly not one of the more common prayers.
"Hmm... OK. Well, I think it would be nice to be a horse. Why would you like to be a horse?"
"So Anna could ride away from the boys in the playground."
India saw our smiles and started crying.
"I made the wish because I wanted to help Anna. I wanted to be nice to Anna. I didn't mean to make a bad wish."
It took us some time to get her to calm down, to convince her we weren't laughing at her, and to help her believe we thought her wish was the most beautiful and the most wonderful wish ever.
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