Hansel said to Gretel, "Let us drop these breadcrumbs so that together we find our way home because losing our way would be the most cruel of things."
This year, I lost my way. And losing your way on a journey is unfortunate, but losing your reason for the journey is a fate more cruel.
The journey lasted thirteen months. Sometimes I traveled alone; sometimes there were others who took the wheel. And took my heart. But when the destination was reached, it wasn't me who arrived. It wasn't me at all. And once you lose yourself, you have two choices: find the person you used to be or lose that person completely. Because sometimes you have to step outside the person you've been and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you wanted to be. The person you are.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it." Clearly, Shaw had his heart broken once or twice. As far as I'm concerned, Shaw was a punk. 'Cause you know what? Tragedies happen. What are you gonna do?
Give up?
Quit?
No. I realize now that when your heart breaks, you gotta fight like hell to make sure you're still alive. 'Cause you are, and that pain you feel, that's life. The confusion and fear, that's there to remind you that somewhere out there is something better. And that' something' is worth fighting for.
This year I got everything I wanted and everything I wished for. But, in a way, I lost even more.
Shaw was right. As we strain to grasp the things we desire, the things we think will make our lives better, "money, popularity, fame" we ignore what truly matters. The simple things. Like friendship, family, love. The things we probably already had.
So Mr. Shaw thinks that getting your heart's desire is a tragedy? I say he's wrong. I mean, clearly Shaw never felt in love with this one girl I always thought of: "Damn, she is the one!"
Yes, losing your heart's desire is tragic. But gaining your heart's desire, it's all you can hope for. This year I wished for love. To immerse myself in someone else and to wake a heart, long, afraid to feel. My wish was granted. If having that is tragic, then give me tragedy.

Tennessee Williams once wrote, "We all live in a house on fire ' no fire department to call, no way out. Just the upstairs window to look out of while the fire burns the house down with us trapped in it."