There was drama of the highest OOPS! factor during the 2015 Miss Universe pageant with Miss Columbia being first tapped, then untapped as the winner, and Steve Harvey becoming the biggest blunder man on the planet.
Aunty used to watch these pageants in the past, but stopped watching decades ago. It happened after an episode in which each contestant was asked the same question. Each of them took a breath, breezed through their answers, were greeted with applause and cheers as they smiled, waved and glided back to their places in line.
The contestants were all beautiful, poised and had the same fixed smiles on their perfect faces. If based on looks in their gowns or bathing suits, each of them was qualified to be the winner. The revealing of their quality of thinking was in the question and answer portion of the competition.
That year, the question that was asked to each of them was, “If you could have anything that you wanted for yourself, what would it be?”
Without fail, every one of them answered perfectly. “World peace.”
It drove Aunty batty. You see, it wasn’t that their answer was wrong. It was that they did not listen to the question being asked, and instead gave an answer that was incomplete, lacking thought, and impersonal.
A destination
That simple sounding question is one that requires a lot of soul searching, and complete honesty. The answer is one asking for our individual selfish desires – if you could have anything that you wanted for yourself.
It is one that can be broken down into different timelines – today, this week, this month, this year, the next 5 years, a lifetime.
It can cover one or several categories – food, health, wealth, happiness, status, relationships, living arrangements, career choices, etc.
It is a question asking about your dreams and goals, your aspirations, your destiny.
Quiet place, deep thoughts
It is not a spur of the moment question for beauty queens vying for the Miss Universe title. If they were completely honest and paid attention to what was being asked, each of their answers would be, “To win the crown.” An answer that might paint them as shallow shells of beauty, but at least they were telling the truth.
It was a question that haunted Aunty for a long time (during her pre-Aunty days). What if Aunty were put on the spot, and the winner got what they wanted.
This was before Aunty started going to investment seminars, self improvement courses, subscriptions to newsletters, or picking up books on life skills, success, etc. The first task required from those gurus, authors, and mentors is to identify and define your goals in order to design your life’s roadmap to a targeted destination.
“If I could have anything I wanted for myself, what would it be?”
Aunty Batty
Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? Sort of like Betty but just a smidgeon off.
One day, out of nowhere, the answer to that irritatingly haunting question came, like a bat (heh heh, sorry) from who knows where. It is wildly unrealistic and improbable, it has been frustratingly non-existent in my hands during trying times, the ramifications of it may be troubling, but still, it is Aunty Batty’s answer. Final answer and still holding true.
It would be to have the touch of healing.
Amen
What about you? If you could have anything you wanted for yourself, what would it be?
All answers are acceptable, crowns included.
hahah superb answer !
I thoroughly enjoyed this post. You got me thinking hard…my answer perhaps is to have perfect ‘health’ because I had a very bad cold for two weeks and it was not fun.
I watched the wrong Miss Universe crowning moment on YouTube and couldn’t believe my eyes! How I was sad for Miss Columbia.
Mahalo Nipponnin! Perfect health is a good one and we tend to take it for granted until we get sick. Hope your cold is gone completely. Keep warm, live healthy, be well!
Hi, Aunty!
Without a question, world peace as a generic, impersonal answer is just plain monotonous, or even facetious, but wonder if these contestants become dizzy & dazzled being in the spotlight in the major event that could change their destiny. I was stunned when experienced show host Steve Harvey bungled the announcement. Maybe card should have printed only1 single name & title (either The 1st Runner Up is or The 2016 Miss Universe is). I like your wish for healing, especially self-healing, maybe self-improvement or advanced education in ??? which would reveal more of the contestant’s inner character & goals. Perhaps, the question could have been rephrased to emphasize “your personal wish, only for yourself). A thought just popped into my head–have you ever thought of running for those Mrs. Pageants or maybe we can suggest one for Aunties? This is my wish for you who would do well in pageantry & represent women in your age group as intelligent & purposeful. Not related to this at all, but enjoy reading Karly’s editorials in the bi-monthly publications, she is Aunty’s Karly right?
Mahalo for another thoughtful article,
Tutu
Aloha Tutu,
Yes, the “world peace” answer is generic and impersonal, but it is correct for beauty pageants – did you see Sandra Bullock in “Miss Congeniality”? She just had to say it.
I am afraid my speaking skills are sub-par except to put people to sleep or rile them up with political incorrectness so no public speaking or pageant walking for Aunty.
I don’t know who Karly is. I have a daughter with a name that rhymes with it but she is now living away from the islands, making her own life away from mother dearest.
Mahalo for your visit,
Aunty
I just love your answer!
Thanks Jalna! It took me forever to figure it and because I am so stubborn when I am on a “quest”, it was a great relief to find it.
I would like to adopt your answer because it implies that not only could you relieve others suffering, but that you could also bring them happiness.
That would be great! Happiness, though, is something each person gets for themselves from their own way of thinking. Maybe you would do well with the touch of happiness. I’ll zap them healthwise and you could zap sad people and make them feel better.
Mahalo for visiting Aunty!