The Fire

It was a cold winter evening. It had been snowing for most of the day, but it had finally stopped a few hours earlier. As he sat looking through the pale reflection of the window, he could see the eerie shadows cast upon the fresh blanket of snow. In the shadows he could see subtle shapes and silhouettes that slowly mesmerized him. Then, as his imagination began to take over his conscious thoughts, the shadows began to take their own form. Suddenly each of them began to move, to take on its own personality, and to have its own meaning. As he watched the shadows and their hypnotic dance, he began to lose track of the present. His inner thoughts took over. He was slipping away to another place.

He felt himself being transported to this other place. Slowly his mind began to focus on this new place. It was a night and a place much like the one that he had just left. Or had he just left it? The line between reality and this place wasn't clear any more. The room was lit only by the dancing flames of the fire place. The same shadows were dancing around the room. He could hear soft music emerging from the background over the crackle of the fireplace. As he was immersed deeper into the setting, a flood of emotions overcame him. These were sweet emotions that he hadn't felt for a very long time. He always knew that the emotions were there, hiding somewhere waiting to be rediscovered. Waiting to be set free. He knew they were there, he just hadn't seen or felt them for a long time.

He felt himself being drawn to the fire. He left the window and sat down in front of the hearth. All the while allowing himself to be continually drawn deeper into the moment. Then a warm hand reached out and softly touched him. This touch didn't startle him however. Instead it was a familiar, sensuous, reassuring touch that he had come to know very well. He looked down beside him, and there she lay. She seemed as if she wasn't quite asleep, but not quite awake either. The faint smell of her perfume gently filled the air. As he looked at her, and listened to her peaceful breathing, his mind began to recreate the wonderful experience that they had shared only a short while ago. The passion, the love, and the lovemaking were all very vividly etched into his mind. Now that it had ended, she was lying on the floor, peacefully covered with only a blanket. The only parts of her that were exposed were her head, a bare shoulder, and the hand that had just reassuringly touched him. He couldn't help but stare at her.

He silently wondered, "How could one person have such a dramatic effect on every aspect of my life?" Everything about her amazed him. From the complex, inner workings of the woman that she is, to the cute, almost girlish smile that she used when she wanted to get her way with him. The sparkle of her eyes had always dazzled him. Her hair was like silk in his hands. Her skin was soft, like the petal of a rose. She seemed to always know his thoughts and feelings, no matter what the situation. She was always strong when she needed to be, and soft and vulnerable when the time was right. She knew the answers to questions that were never spoken.

Unconsciously, he began to lightly stroke her skin. He knew that she wasn't perfect. She had imperfections in her physical appearance, and her own little personality quirks, but none of that ever seemed to matter. He had always been taken by her inner beauty. It shone through like a brilliant burst of sunlight on a dark, stormy day. Her inner beauty included a kind heart, a quick wit, a gentle nature, and a zest for life. However, it was all highlighted by unconditional love and passion.

He had known that there was something special about this woman from the very instant that he had come to know her. There was something about her that had tugged at his heart strings from the beginning. He remembered clearly all of the time that he had spent soul searching and asking himself, "Could she be the one that I have waited so long to find?"

Then he thought of the complete joy he felt as the romance, then the love began to blossom. He realized that these feelings had surfaced in him again as he sat there remembering the feeling of new love, then the realization of true love. As his thoughts went deeper, he was saddened by the fact that he hadn't always shown and celebrated these feelings for her. He wasn't always as affectionate, caring, and romantic as he should have been. No, she had never said anything about it, but then again a woman of her grace wouldn't. She had always known his true feelings even if he was inadequate in expressing them. Her unconditional love wouldn't allow her to.

At that moment, an unconscious decision was made somewhere deep inside of him. From now on he would show her the attention, love and affection that he knew that she wanted and loved to have shown to her.

She began to stir a little. Then for a brief second, she opened her eyes, and gave him a faint smile. He felt his heart melt. Lyrics from a song suddenly came into his mind. The words seemed so appropriate. "Stars above, how did I ever win your love? What did I do, What did I say to turn your angel eyes my way?" It all seemed so right, as long as she was in his life, everything would be right in his world.

A sudden loud pop from the fireplace startled him, and he snapped out of his dream like state. Yet, he wasn't by the window looking at the shadows in the snow any more. He was in front of the fireplace with his wife. "It must have been a dream." he said to himself, "I could have sworn that I fell asleep by the window looking at the snow." It was then that the realization of the moment hit him. He looked down at her, and she was still laying in the same place, and in the same position that she was in his dream. He realized that he truly had the woman of his dreams. At the time of one of his deepest fantasies, he was having the fantasy about the woman who was laying right beside him. Yes, the emotions were real, not just part of a dream or fantasy. She was also real, and there with him. He realized that he had acquired a love that all wish for, but most can only dream of. For some reason, fate had made his dreams come true. In that moment, he knew that he was the luckiest, and most blessed man alive, because love had smiled on him in the kindest of ways.

He laid down next to her and slowly drifted off to sleep.