What I Want

This is for those who ever wished upon a star.

Telling people what you want should be easy, right? Simply think about what you are lacking, put it into words in your mind, and then verbally describe your desires. Simple. Logical. Straightforward. So why is it hard for people to do?

Wants are more personal than needs. Needs are determined by what we prioritize at any given moment. We meet our needs because we try to be responsible over life’s important matters. A want comes from an inclination to be satisfied. The desire to be whole.

Is it possible to want what we already possess? Probably not with as much intensity. I am a man of deep desire and passion. I try to balance my life with discipline so as not to be carried away in my appetites. While some desire material things or the acknowledgement of others, I seek a more elusive prize. I don’t even know how to begin describing it to you.

Not often do people ask me what I want. Why would they? Everyone is so focused on meeting needs they forget that people have wants. Our society is designed to meet people’s needs. Something breaks; go to a shop to get it fixed. Someone gets sick; get them to a doctor. What happens when there are no pressing needs anymore? What do we focus on then?

No system is in place to give people what they want. That is something each of us has to strive for on our own. I’m not talking about happiness. Happiness is about feeling good and comes from trusting that things will work out. What I am talking about with want is more profound.

Ever wanted something for another? Wanting someone to live. Wanting someone to heal. To be safe. To be free. Truly, this is love. To meet the needs of others. To make them a priority.

People rarely say out loud what they truly want. It hurts to ask for what you ache for. I do my best to heal hearts. The pain I recognize in people breaks my heart. I wish they could tell me what they want so I don’t have to guess. We can’t expect to get what we long for if we don’t know how to ask for it.

To pursue what we want with patience shows maturity. Life isn’t about immediately satisfying our desires. Our wants will never cease. Life is about finding peace. If I can help one person to live, then that is enough for me. It’s enough.