Be careful what you pray for

The following is a hilarious excerpt from the book Eat Pray Love which I'm currently reading.

Richard found himself praying all the time. His prayer was always the same. He kept begging God, "Please, please, please open my heart." That was all he wanted- an open heart. And he would always finish the prayer for an open heart by asking God, "And please send me a sign when the event has occurred." Now he says, recollecting that time, "Be careful what you pray for Groceries, cus you might just get it." After a few months of praying constantly for an open heart, what do you think Richard got? Thats right- emergency open-heart surgery. His chest was literally cracked open, his ribs cleaved away from each other to allow some daylight to finally reach into his heart, as though God were saying, "Hows that for a sign?" So now Richard is always cautious with his prayers, he tells me. "Whenever I pray for anything these days, I always wrap it up by saying, "Oh, and God? Please be gentle with me, Ok?"