My List

The holidays are approaching with the force and fury of the wintry gale. I wonder what it is that I truly want for the impending celebration of the birth of Christ. Were someone to ask, the list would be simple and as follows:

1. New phone. Preferably touch screen, definitely not a flip. Slider would be cool.
2. Bowflex selectec dumbells. Damn things are cool. Twist the dial and the weight changes. So with two dumbells I'd have a whole range. Badass.
3. That's all.

I mean, it's not a whole lot, really. Thoreau was right, and simplifying, simplifying my life has whittled my needs and wants fairly low. Everything is details, in my humble opinion.

But, as the intro somewhat cleverly (subtly, subliminally?) implied (and let's face it, all implications need to be clever and/or subtle to be truly effective), that's not what I want. Or need. No, my Holiday list is marked for its even greater brevity than that above.

It's simple. Love.

It's all I really want. And maybe it's not exactly a clear statement. Because, frankly, everyone wants love. Whether they admit it or not, they do. And yes, as bromides go, it's certainly not revelatory to any sane human. But in this context, it truly is.

At no time more than the holidays, when my family and I gather 'round to share meals, stories, and laughter, nothing hurts more than to be alone. The years of random jobs, strange careers, and poor professional choices are nothing compared to the loneliness. Having that special someone there to be part of it all would be so fulfilling it strains my grasp on language to convey it.

So, on my list? That someone with whom all pretenses are stripped, trust is immediate and eternal, desire is as the fire from the dragon's belly, and goals and dreams are shared and built and accomplished together.

Maybe it's too much to ask. But I hope not.