I was not born and raised in Phoenix, but I have lived here for the past four years and have learned to call it home. During that time, I have also learned to appreciate (and tolerate) the weather. However, when it’s a toasty 115 degrees outside, I can’t help but miss the different weather patterns that I experienced growing up in Pennsylvania.
Each year, relief comes in the form of late November temperatures. During that time there’s the guarantee of one fun event in Downtown Phoenix: an ice skating rink is set up for everyone to enjoy. It’s a strange juxtaposition, the presence of an ice rink in a desert city, but it draws crowds and provides us desert dwellers an opportunity to pretend that seasons are a real thing for a second.
I think about all of the work that must have gone into putting an ice rink in a backyard, and think of all the time CJ will spend on the synthetic ice. Seeing CJ’s smile in the video when the rink is finally revealed, it’s clear that this wish will have a huge impact on his life. He loves playing hockey, but living in South Florida provides a shortage of places to do so. With an ice rink in his backyard, he won’t have to travel very far to work on improving his skills. Being able to do something that will make him feel like a normal kid again is a huge part of what makes wishes so important.
His wish also reminded me that the possibilities are as endless and diverse as the imaginations that can develop them. That makes my job both fun and rewarding — seeing all the different wishes is never boring.