Ten years ago, the list of her hungers had been rather long.

Tonight, her list had been reduced to one simple thing:

She hungered to be held.

She hungered to be surrounded by the strong, protective arms of a man who knew her soul well and cherished it.

She longed to be held in a quiet understanding, comfort creeping into her weary and anxious bones from knowing she wasn’t alone.

She just wanted to be wrapped in an embrace that never seemed to end—tenderness coming from a man who had promised to protect her and provide for her.

She hungered for his touch in the most innocent, yet ravenous way possible—for years of loneliness made her crave the warmth of another person into whom she could melt softly.

This is all she hungered for.

Because the day his arms went around her, she knew she would be loved and cherished and protected the way she’d always longed for.

And all her hungering would be filled up with the preciousness of being loved.

And the list could at last be crossed off for good.

Dedicated to my sister, Vicki, featured in the picture above, on the day we celebrated dreams coming true. 

Picture taken by sister, Valerie.