[Note: Mr. Herbert responded to THE QUESTION & ANSWERS SESSION question I posed in the Aug. issue of STTS about three days too late. His entry was so well written and, more importantly, insightful that I decided to give his reply article space in the Oct. issue. Thus, here is Mr. Herbert's reply to the question: "If you had one wish, what would you wish for and why?"] If I Had One Wish... Copyright (c) 1993, L.J. Herbert All rights reserved The falbed wish is something that has thrilled humankind throughout the ages, inspiring many myths wherin hapless men succumb to the follies the human mind is so capable of producing when it is offered such a tempting lure as "anything your heart desires". Through their fumblings we learn what NOT to wish for: wealth, status, the love of another, the death of another, more wishes, etc., but the mind always refuses be tethered and presses forward with yet more fantasic explorations of how this perplexing riddle might finally be solved by the wise man with "The Answer". Without claiming to be such a wise man, I'd like to establish for the criticism of others the conclusion my own mind comes to. My solution stems from a practice (made easier by this question's hypothetical nature, to be sure!) of resisting all initial urges to grab at pretty baubles so that I can attempt to trly answer the question in all its implications by pinpointing the ONE thing I desire above all other objects. The frequent context of this question--a myth--will be my guide in this pursuit. In exposing the eternal frailty of human beings, this myth reminds me that I too am human, hinting at universal implications. Thus, a spark of insight tells me that I must search for a universal wish, one which all men and women would agree with. This seems difficult only if I forget the frame of myth, for what is myth if it is not the ultimate expression of human solidarity? To be sure, myths are particular in detail, but their underlying purpose, from Gilgamesh to Star Wars, is always the same: the search for an enlightened understanding of our confusing existence; in other words, a knowledge of how to LIVE. When this is understood, what else is there to wish for but the ability to interperate Nature with wisdom and so to live well in this hostile world? This is what all of we homo sapiens would wish for if we merely reflected on our innermost longings. The proof is in the very origin of this question: the myth.