Q1.
Read the following sentences. 1. I wish my friend brings idli in her tiffin tomorrow. 2. I hope my friend and I win the race tomorrow. 3. May my friend get well soon. Which of the three sentences 1–3 is closest to a prayer? Explain to your teacher and classmates.
Answer
Sentence 3 — “May my friend get well soon.” — is closest to a prayer.
A prayer is a request made to God for someone's good. Sentence 3 begins with “May …”, the special word we use for a blessing or a prayer, and what it asks for is not for the speaker at all — it is for the friend's health. That selflessness is what makes it a prayer.
| Sentence | What it really is | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. I wish my friend brings idli… | A wish | A small everyday want — and the speaker will eat the idli himself! |
| 2. I hope my friend and I win… | A hope | It is about winning, and the speaker is included in it. |
| 3. May my friend get well soon. | A prayer | Begins with ‘May’, asks a higher power, and is entirely for the other person's good. |
Keep this in mind for the poem: Jill Wolf's poem opens in exactly this way — “May my friendships always be / The most important thing to me.” That single word ‘May’ turns the whole poem into a prayer.