Law of Unintended Consequence

It’s not a real “law” of course, but you know what it means – it’s not possible to calculate every effect, every outcome, from a specific act.  And sometimes, the resulting effects were neither  expected nor intended.  There’s a whole lot of that going around right now.  And it’s creating a foundation for a robust and dynamic experience for many people, depending on what they ask for.

A good rule of thumb when asking for what you desire, is make damn sure you think it through so that you are truly asking for what you want.  You gotta be careful about asking.  For instance, take the situation in lore about Aurora (a.k.a. Dawn) and her lover, Tithonus.

Aurora was the goddess of, well, dawn.  In the course of her business she fell in love with that strapping human, Tithonus.  What a couple!  A perfect match!  Passion, romance, friendship and all around good times.  But, Aurora was smart enough to realize that this great situation couldn’t last, for a simple reason:  She was immortal and Tithonus would eventually dies (as all humans do.)

So Aurora gained an audience with Zeus, the apex god who could grant her wish.  Her wish was direct and to the point.  She asked that Tithonus live forever.  Zeus thought a moment and granted her wish.  From that instant forward, Tithonus would never die.

 

She knew what she wanted but didn't ask for it

(You know where this is going)  As the years passed Tithonus aged as a human.  Decades pass and the old, old man still breathes.  And so it went.  Tithonus continued to decay, but remained alive. 

Aurora failed to ask Zeus for what she wanted – eternal youth for Tithonus.

Words mean things.  Think about what you ask for.  You will get it.