The air that filled my lungs was salty and alive. Sand pressed between my toes. Jesus’ hand slid into mine.

“Thanks for inviting Me,” He said.

“I wish…”

“Yes?”

“I wish we could always be like this.”

“Your need is what draws Me to you,” He said.

I saw in His eyes that the times I have thought I was self-sufficient, I neglected Him, the one friend who has never let me down. He squeezed my hand, letting me know that all that was behind us.

There were others on the beach, but right then He was my world and we were alone.

Time passed, and my mind wandered here and there, but never too far from the anchor of knowing He was next to me. “I have some worries,” I blurted out.

“Fire away.”

I smiled, paused, took a deep breath, and then plunged right in. “I worry about the future. And more recently I’m worried that I won’t be able to handle whatever I may be faced with. I wish I were better with people. I wish I didn’t feel as though every day was an effort. I wish…”

His hand squeezed mine, and we were both silent for a time. We watched the swelling of the waves and listened to them crash on the shore. I was thinking about what would happen to me if He ever put a limit on wishes. If He did, I’d be sunk.

He read my thoughts and said, “One wish right now.”

“What?”

“It’s yours. Anything. I’m giving you one wish.”

I thought He must be kidding. “Really?”

“I’m not,” He said.

“Not what?” I asked, a little confused.

“Not kidding.”

I laughed. “Anything?”

“Anything.”

“But what if I wish for something that isn’t good forme?”

“Do you love Me?”

“Of course!” I said, surprised that He would ask such a question.

He chuckled. “Then I know that your desires will be in line with what I want and know is best for you.”

I paused, trying to figure out where my love for ice cream fit into His highest will.

“You know, I could use this wish for something like…” I was unable to finish the sentence.

“Ice cream on demand?” Sometimes I forget how readable I am to Him. “Would you like that?” He asked.

“I don’t know. That is a good option.” We smiled at each other in perfect harmony of thought and emotions.

I began sorting through my wish list. Sitting next to Him brought most of my wishes down a few places on the list. Others I crossed off altogether. In the presence of the One I love most, all other loves paled in comparison and I realized that there was nothing I wanted more than to make Him happy.

“I wish to love You and make You happy.”

He hugged me tight. I felt as though all of my wishes had come true.

“That’s what I want too,” He said softly, “because then I am able to give you the desires of your heart.”

“But what if my desires aren’t the right ones?” I was thinking of a certain instance some time back.

“When I have first place in your life, when you want nothing else more than Me, then I reward you by showering you with blessings. I send you things that I know will make you happy. I even fulfill desires that you didn’t know you had.”

I looked at Him and I told Him that all my desires were fulfilled in Him.

He looked at me and said, “Ice cream is on the menu today.”

We laughed as we continued our walk.

And we ate ice cream that night.

Tomoko Matsuoka is a member of the Family International.