“What do you think, Magic 8 Ball? Should I let you decide everything for me in the New Year?”
I shook the little hunk of plastic. Turned it over and waited for the ghostly message to appear in the window. What would it say? Would it accept such a massive responsibility? I trembled with excitement. My whole life was about to change.
I was getting back on the New Year’s resolution train. I never do resolutions, but this year I felt called to make one. But not just any resolution. Something big!
And that’s when I came up with this: Let the Magic 8 Ball make all of my decisions for me.
BUT … only if it agreed to take on the challenge.
It was all up to the Magic 8 Ball.
It was one of my daughter’s presents for Christmas. She named him “Genius.” He had a knack for making the right call.
“Magic Eight Ball, did Lily do something bad while we were gone,” we asked while standing over the guilty looking dog.
“You may rely on it,” replied Genius. It answered in the affirmative 17 straight times. The dog cried foul.
You have heard of the Magic 8 Ball, right? The greatest toy ever invented? It’s a grapefruit-sized black and white pool ball. On one side there’s a plastic window. You ask it a question, shake it and then wait for the answer to float into view.
“Should I drink the last beer?” you ask, and the Magic 8 Ball replies, “It is decidedly so.”
Thank you, Genius!
So why not resolve to let it make all of my decisions? Life sure would be easier that way. No more agonizing over tough decisions. Second-guessing them. Second-guessing myself. “Maybe petting the snake with fangs and rabies-like foam isn’t such a good idea. Magic 8 Ball?”
Besides, aren’t we all looking to outsource our decisions? To take the difficult choices out of our lives? To turn on autopilot and coast through life? Why not let the Magic 8 Ball take the heat and do all the work?
So there I was, waiting on the toy to accept my proposition. Would it? How would it respond?
The answer slowly floated to the top. I chewed my fingernails in excitement.
Finally … finally … FINALLY.
And then, there it was.
“Reply hazy try again.”
Magic 8 Ball! You ducked the question! I can be indecisive all by myself.
So I gave up on Genius. Put him back in my daughter’s room and resolved to drink the last beer. Good decision and happy New Year.