This story compliments of Ajahn Brahm
There were five children who were playing the wishing game. In the wishing game the child who comes up with the best wish wins.
The first child said, “I wish for the latest, greatest computer game.”
The second child said, “I wish for a computer game store. Then I can have any computer game I want.”
The fourth child said, “If I had any computer game I wanted, my parents wouldn’t let me play it. They would just make me do my school work. So I wish for 10 billion dollars. Then I could buy my school. And I could also buy a high school and a university. Then I could get my diplomas and college degrees and I could play any computer game I want.”
The fourth child said, “I wish for three more wishes. Then I could buy a computer game store, get 10 billion dollars and buy my schools, and then wish for three more wishes. Then I would have endless wishes and I could always ask for anything I want.”
The fifth child sat quietly for a few moments. Then she said, “I wish for complete peace, contentment, and happiness. Then I wouldn’t need any wishes.”