Dreams vs. Reality

The Traveler and I just had a nice conversation via cell phone while he was sitting in the Detroit airport, returning from spending the holiday in Northern Virginia. He went with high expectations to visit a New Friend. Shortly after his arrival, he had a "What the Hell was I Thinking" moment, and his expectations dropped to zero. But achiever that he is, he recovered his great attitude and had a marvelous time in my part of the world and met some wonderful people who understand Gracious Southern Living. The New Friend is not a Southerner (spoken with a drawl — can you hear it? — SUH-thuh-nuh). She's a transplanted Okie. Can't make a silk purse out of an oil derrick, or something along those lines.

He reminded me of my horrific trip to Virginia Beach and the laughs I've milked out of that story over the past couple of years.

And his story reminded me that he and I are dreamers. I truly believe there's Someone for everyone. I had one Someone; I want one more Someone.

The Traveler is such a nice guy. He's smart, he's accomplished, he writes beautifully, he's financially stable. He knows how to shave and brush his teeth and put on a clean shirt (unlike certain other men who have been chronicled here). He's nice-looking, appreciates femininity in a woman, likes nice restaurants and cute cars, especially restaurants that serve key lime pie and little red Hondas. He isn't afraid to live life. I truly believe there's just-the-right woman out there somewhere for him — someone that makes sense out of everything else in life.

But he is (as I am) not willing to settle for just-something, for less-than-optimum. He wants lightning to strike the table when he sits down across from her. And if he wants that, then he deserves it.

And someone, somewhere, some wonderfully deserving woman, will someday find her dream when they finally walk into the same room at the same time. The room may be in Northern Virginia or Southern Arizona or someplace far away from either of those places. But I think we get what we deserve, and this man deserves good things.

As do I.

I'm holding onto my dream.