I am a collector of many things. Muppet memorabilia, Dr. Seuss books, confetti. Yes, confetti. Not the colorful paper kind, but the high quality kind- the kind that comes in many different shapes and sizes. I have boxes full of it, of cows and pigs and turkeys and footballs and snowmen and hearts and angels. But that's another post.

This post is about my collection of fortune cookie fortunes. Every time I eat at a Chinese restaurant, I save the fortune from my fortune cookie. I admit, fortune cookies are not very filling and not entirely scrumptious (a stale fortune cookie is quite a horrible thing), but they are worth it for the tiny slips of wisdom hidden inside.

I find it interesting that most of the "fortunes" are not really fortunes at all. Many times they are just witty sayings or quotes we've all heard before: "Prejudice is the child of ignorance," "Many a false step is made by standing still," "The best mirror is a good friend." Sometimes the fortunes just seem to be comments on your personality and character, such as "You are of double character: An active socialite and a serious thinker," "You are open-minded and quick to make new friends," "You form passionate relationships without compromising your independence."

Sometimes they are just a waste of words and paper. "Some men dream of fortunes, others dream of cookies." What is that supposed to mean? Not to mention the fact that fortune cookies are apparently not politically correct. Or "You are full of hopes about your future." Okay, yes that's true, but that's not anything I don't already know! This one is aggravating, too: "You long to see the great pyramids in Egypt." Um, actually I don't.

But then you get the fortunes that make it all worthwhile. The ones that make your heart skip a beat, even though you're not superstitious and don't actually believe any of this will really happen. "A pleasant surprise is in store for you." "The one you love is closer than you think." "You will be awarded some great honor." "A chance meeting opens new doors to success and friendship."

Yes, this is why I love fortune cookies. You never know what you'll get when you eat one-- a cliche, a waste of your time, or just what you were waiting to hear. And the best thing about it, even though sometimes the fortunes are corny, stupid, or just plain incorrect, I have to say that I've never gotten a negative one- no promises of bad luck, no plagues on my house, no lost loves. And Lord knows we can use all the positive reassurances we can get.