{"seoTitle":"Careful What You Wish For — A Modern Family Parable","seoDescription":"A family's idle daydream at the dinner table sets something unexpected in motion. A modern parable about the weight of words and the gap between wishing and wanting.","keywords":"be careful what you wish for, family parable, weight of words, modern fable, unintended consequences story","content":{"p1":"A family gathered around a dinner table on a cold, rainy March night in a northern city. The mom had been working long hours.","p2":"\"We never get to see you,\" said the oldest boy.","p3":"\"Yeah, we want to have dinner with you every night,\" reiterated the youngest son.","p4":"The dad peered off into the distance as the pitter-patter of rain hit the sliding glass porch doors, carried by a forceful wind.","p5":"\"Wouldn't it be nice to live somewhere else?\" he muttered under his breath.","p6":"His two boys quickly took note.","p7":"\"Where, daddy, where?\"","p8":"\"Well, how about Japan,\" he replied with a smile.","p9":"\"Or Mozambique,\" suggested the oldest boy, giddily.","p10":"\"How about Brazil,\" said the youngest enthusiastically. \"It is warm there,\" he smiled.","p11":"The mother peered at them. The wheels of her mind churned.","p12":"\"How about the western province?\"","p13":"Everyone glanced at her. It was a bit out of the blue and not as exotic as the other destinations on the daydreaming table.","p14":"The mother's face grew a bit more serious.","p15":"\"I actually have a job offer out there. I've already turned down the company twice.\"","p16":"The boys and dad looked at each other.","p17":"\"We were just daydreaming,\" their eyes seemed to say.","p18":"\"I can give them a call back. Is that okay?\" asked the mother.","p19":"The boys and dad looked at each other again, not sure how to respond.","p20":"\"Sure, okay, why not,\" they said, shrugging their shoulders while getting up to clear their plates.","p21":"Dinner was over.","p22":"The next cold, rainy night came and went, then another.","p23":"\"Guess what,\" the mother announced. \"I got the offer. They want me to start next month.\"","p24":"\"Where?\" asked the dad.","p25":"\"The Western province, like we talked about,\" replied the mother gleefully.","p26":"\"Um, well,\" said the oldest son, \"I really want to finish high school here,\" he said in a slightly downtrodden manner.","p27":"\"Me too,\" agreed the youngest.","p28":"\"That's two years from now,\" sighed the dad. \"Darling, I don't think this is a good idea. He really wants to finish school here. We need to support him.\"","p29":"Another cold and rainy night passed, then another."},"content2":{"p30":"\"Guess what,\" asked the mother. \"They said they'll let me leave early on some weekends. I can come back once a month until high school graduation. Then we can all move out there.\"","p31":"\"That's two years from now, darling!\" exclaimed the father.","p32":"\"They said they'd be flexible,\" she responded.","p33":"\"That's not enough time. We'll never see you. Remember, we just wanted to have dinner with you more often. That's all.\"","p34":"\"Yeah, mom,\" said the oldest son. \"That's all we wanted,\" agreed the youngest son.","p35":"\"You said I could call them,\" replied the mother, \"and I did.\""}}