I remember the first time someone asked, and I felt like they truly wanted to know. It was like they had thrown a glass of ice-cold water in my face.

You mean, there is a step beyond complaining? You mean, I can not only ask for, but actually receive, what I want?

A whole new world opened to me. A world I couldn’t trust, wasn’t prepared for, and suspected might do more harm than good if I succumbed to the temptation to answer. Then, even when I gave myself permission to answer, I discovered I had no words. Whatever age or time in my life I learned that we rarely get what we want, and when we do, it probably comes with a higher price tag than we’d want to pay — the damage had been done.

I no longer had a voice for my desires. In fact, I didn’t even know I had desires. I was aware only of a vague sense of yearning…a restless sort of discontent…and of course, an insatiable craving for things I was sure I couldn’t have.