Anticipation

Too often, we long for things, people and lifestyles and are disillusioned when the reality doesn't quite measure up. We dream of the best-seller list and film adaptations but settle for mid-list status, if we're lucky. The payment, monetary and otherwise, is pitiful considering the work put into crafting a novel. We all know that already. The journey is everything. We cannot rely on being published to justify our writing. We must love the struggle itself.

My thoughts today concern anticipation more than the actual journey. I'm not referring to the dreadful moments awaiting the dentist, but the positive feeling we all have before something we've been looking forward to. I love that! It's part of the experience. Preparing for a hot date is as much a part of the wonderful memory as the date itself, and sadly, it's often the best part. I enjoy the previews in the movie theaters, I enjoy my time in the bookstores, and I enjoy shopping for, and wrapping gifts as much as watching my loved ones open them.

This past Sunday, my wife surprised me with two tickets to see Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman from the band Yes. (Of course they were spectacular.)  We arrived early and simply enjoyed the theater fill up. Perhaps this photograph can illustrate my point a little better.

We counted 80 fake candles, and they, along with the blue light, created the perfect atmosphere.

"And the word is, Love."

Update: Clips from the show are already on YouTube! I love technology.