The One That Got Away

Last night was a mixture of beautiful, romantic, fun and ultimately heartbreaking. I went out with someone I have had feelings for a long time, and hadn't seen in over a year. The last time we went out to dance the night away, I was an unsure and insecure boy. This time. I looked deep into her delicate and yet strong eyes when we talked, and saw her as the flower of a woman she is. When we danced I held her close to me, our cheeks brushing, my breath on her neck as I savored the scent of her hair. As our intertwined bodies moved with the music, I could feel our hearts beating together and getting just a little faster. If only the song would never end.

Despite the bevy of women I have dated, been with and had all sorts of relations in between, Lily (lets call her that) has been the one I always think of while laying in bed at night. I think of her when music moves my heart and when I reach the summit of a mountain and look at beauty that takes my breath away. She is the benchmark of women and beauty. Let me tell you more about her.

What can I say about Lily that hasn't been said by other hearts moved by women? So pardon the cliches. Lily is stubborn, complains about being irritated and is impatient. She could be wearing a gorgeous dress, or her uniform that is blue jeans a top and a vest that screams "I would rather be hiking a mountain than be here", and she would still pull you in with her smile that is both unbelievably beautiful, and yet earthy and extremely friendly. She snorts when she laughs too hard, and then snorts some more when she realizes what she just did and is feeling a little embarrassed. She never settles for average, she wants beauty, adventure and a passionate life experience. She needs to be the best in whatever endeavor she undertakes, which is sometimes annoying and always enchanting. And when she sings, oh when she sings...it is the most melodic, rich and textured voice that pierces the core of your heart: you don't hear her sing, feel her voice inside you. Lily has one of the most stealthily beautiful hearts I have ever has the pleasure of knowing, even if she refuses to admit it. Her actions belie her modest views about herself, and her heart is with the children and people who need her most.

What will happen of us? As the story progresses, as even more of her many brothers and sisters get married, she may end up getting married. She may get close to getting married and then feel that something is amiss and fly away to some adventure in a far off land. Whoever she ends up with will be the luckiest man in the world, of course. But he won't be lucky because she is beautiful and loving. He will be blessed because he will wake up everyday next to a rare flower that embodies strength, love and beauty that permeates through every level of her being. Perhaps the story will unfold as my heart wants it to...

Sometime from today, a woman walks into a rather fancy party, her red dress flowing behind her as she makes her way through the crowd. Her intelligent green and hazel eyes search through the gathering of people before finally resting on a dark man in a suit in the middle of an animated conversation. A smile slowly forms on her face as she stands there and holds her gaze. He feels a strange feeling begin to grow and abruptly ends the conversation and turns to see. His heart skips a beat as his eyes finds hers. The room and the people fade away; they only see each other. He doesn't smile as he walks over to her with slow and steady strides, stopping inches from her face. He reaches out his hand and brushes her hair, tucking it behind her ear. As he tilts his face slightly and moves closer, he closes his eyes and savors the familiar scent of her hair. Their lips finally connect in a soft and tender kiss. They embrace and as they hold each other close they begin to sway to the music. After so many years, it is good to have finally found each other.