Dear Seeking Out the Sun

Dear Seeking Out the Sun,

Yo. How you doing, Seeking Out the Sun? It's funny - because I feel like all last Winter I was you, but this time around I haven't been sweating it so much. My Light Therapy Lamp has kept me sunny on the inside, and I just haven't felt the overwhelming need to go you. That said, this weekend marks the beginning of a month of you, and I'm pretty excited about it.

In a couple hours, I'm going to climb onto a plane to head out to Arizona. Tempe. Land of strip malls and cacti (to my understanding - I've never actually been there, to be honest). But I don't really care about the strip malls because Tempe has TWO things right now that Portland currently doesn't (and won't for a while): my good friend Glotto (her real name has been changed to protect the innocent) and the Sun. Better yet - the WARM Sun.

Because it actually is pretty sunny today here in Portland (or at least it WAS, it seems to be going away as I write this). But it's not a WARM Sun, which brings me the most wonderful option of all: wearing shorts and flip flops. Now, I don't want to get my hopes up for that wonderful occasion, but if I get to do it the next couple of days . . . I might just cry.

To be honest - I can't even really IMAGINE that right now. I mean - I can picture myself wearing shorts and flip flops, but in my head it makes my feet really cold and uncomfortable because I can't fathom being OUTSIDE in enough warmth to not need socks. But I recall days past when that was a fact of life, and I can only hope that I get the same for just a couple days on my trip.

And if I don't? Not to worry - because this little adventure is not the end of my quest as I go you. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times in the last two days: I'm going to Hawaii. Hawaii. Where there is no chance in Hell that I can spend a little over a week without getting to comfortably wear shorts and sandals. And that concept is so appealing to me these days that that's almost all I think about during my free time. I picture myself walking through a city street in shorts and sandals - just smiling. Thinking, "maybe I should go hang out at the beach for a little bit," and then just doing it. Because a guy can do that kind of thing in Hawaii. And that's where I'm going. And I am so ridiculously excited about it, it almost literally hurts.

Because my Light Therapy Lamp is an amazing thing - but it's not the Sun. It doesn't prevent me from becoming a pale, sickly-looking freak (sorry white people - but that's kind of how I feel when I'm all pale-skinned). My Lamp doesn't allow me to wander around town without getting wet. It doesn't necessitate sunglasses or less clothing. My Light Therapy Lamp is an amazing thing - but it's not the Sun.

And so it's time to go you, Seeking Out the Sun. Sure - I could probably survive okay with just my Lamp until the Sun comes to me, but why should I if I don't have to? I'm not looking to just "survive" - I want to THRIVE. And the only way to do that is by you. And I am so very excited to do so.

Therefore, I thank you, Seeking Out the Sun. For the hope and excitement you bring to me. For the fantasy dreamworld that you create in my head as I imagine my search coming to fruition. And so I hope that it all goes down in just a few anticipation-filled hours. And I think it will.

So off I go you - with a smile on my face and child-like joy in my heart. Let's just hope it pans out.

Hoping to Write a "Dear Wearing Shorts and Flip Flops" Letter Soon,
CVT