What if you give me one minute?

“Watch this be the wrong thing
Classic
God, I’m jumping in the deep end
It’s more fun to swim in
Heard the risk is drownin’, but I’m gonna take it
I’m gonna take it”
Songwriters: Audrey Hobert & Gracie Abrams

What if you give me one minute? And then all the rest of them?

If I told you how much I think about you, would you believe me? If I told you I need to feel my hand in yours, for just a minute – just give me one minute, would you give it to me?

Never mind.

One minute wouldn’t be enough.

Don’t give me one minute – unless I can have as many as possible.

I’d just ask for more and more of you. I’d ask for your quiet moments, your joys, your storms, and everything in between. I’d ask for the mundane, the chores, the highest highs and the passion. I’d return the favor. I’m at my absolute worst right now. If you stay, even then, I’d never stop reaching for you. I’ve seen you petulant. I’m still reaching for you.

If I handled you like I wanted to, we’d be caught in love and in bedsheets, and every moment of the weirdness and beauty of life. What if life was fair and I always got what I wanted? I’d have you. You’d be here – next to me. We’d be recovering from the day, together – as the night settles in around us. Would I ever grow complacent with feeling the rise and fall of your chest, if you were next to me? My guess is no. I’m certain I’d never forget how it feels to turn around and catch you watching me. I’d fight to keep us there, even when reality sets in, and it’s easier to choose separate corners and bruised egos.

You are laced through the lines of my poems – in the inspiration that stirs. When you read my words, you see us as clearly as I do, don’t you? What if I handled you like I wanted to? What if we moved in tandem everywhere? What if you give me one minute? And then all the rest of them?

Let it Happen

“No, I know
I’m a walking contradiction and it shows
Got a history of being in control
I’m aware that I could end up here alone

But then we spoke
I had a backbone made of glass, and then it broke
Now I stay up and I wait here by the phone
if you’re ready, all I mean is we could go

I’ve never craved someone’s attention
As much as yours, thought I should mention
that

I bet all my money that I will
Lose to you and hand you my life
Here’s to hoping you’re worth all my time”
Lyrics by Gracie Abrams & Aaron Dessner (Aaron, my king – I love you. Lol)

I love, love. I am forever and always a romantic. I write about love and relationships. While not all of the relationships I write about are romantic, they certainly play a huge role.

It’s tough out here for us lovers, sometimes though. I’m not the best at not feeling, not caring, or turning it off. Once I’m there, I’m there (i.e., once I have feelings for you, I’m . . . stuck 🤣). There’s something about Gracie Abrams’ lyrics that hit me in just the right way at the moment.

She sings (read this as one thought/line):

I’ve never craved someone’s attention
As much as yours, thought I should mention
that

I bet all my money that I will
Lose to you and hand you my life
Here’s to hoping you’re worth all my time

When you stand on the edge of interest or infatuation and you sense this thing is developing and your feelings for someone are growing, there’s a moment when you make a decision to jump in or take some steps back. I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about risk versus regret in recent times. A heart that is beaten and bruised reaches a point where it begins to question literally everything. Ev-er-y-thing. What once felt easy and part of the deepest part of you, something you used to love about yourself (i.e., loving and caring easily), transforms into something scary. I am not risk averse. Lately, I’ve been extremely risk averse. I feel trapped there in that place where I fear taking the risks.

But when you’ve lost too much, you question your decisions. You question who you’ve fallen in love with. You question who you chose to trust. You question it all. The problem with this, as I’ve come to accept in recent weeks, is that there are never guarantees in life, love, and relationships. In my heart of hearts I know that it’s possible to find your true companion. I (perhaps far too stubbornly) still believe in the possibility of a soul mate (or more than one in a lifetime). But it’s not easy to reconcile this after heartbreak and then unrelated grief that follows.

My therapist recently said (this is a massive paraphrase) that there may not be a clear timeline of comfort in knowing a person. When do you know – when do you know you’re seeing red flags or interpreting something innocent, through your own trauma and issues? When do you know a person is trustworthy? When do you open yourself to deeper levels of intimacy with someone?

You don’t. There’s no easy answer. There’s no magic formula. I think there are probably some signs. I think there are probably relationships and people we should avoid. But we could also be very wrong and miss out on something or someone that is “worth all my time.” I’ve been guarding my heart, time, and dreams jealously in recent memory. But it’s not really me.

Let it happen. I’ll let it happen. I’ll take the risk and let it happen. Because the alternative is simply unacceptable.

Caught in a Current

Photo by Vidi Drone on Unsplash

I can’t explain the pull – the way I’m drawn to you. I have tried to steer around this without success. There was a moment, feels like ages ago now, when you looked at me with so much feeling, fear instantly struck my heart. I was instantly caught in a current – pulled very quickly from the shore. I am not doing this again, I thought. I put my foot down. I succeeded for a time. But I’ve been back to square one for too long now. I don’t have the energy. The current is pulling me under.

This is an exercise in futility. I’m caught in a current that will only lead me to the worst possible outcome.

I am still swimming against the current.

Collapse Into Me

Say it. Do it. I have never needed you more.
Collapse into me – right here.
I’ve got it. I’ve got you.
Yes, I will lay here with you.
Stay in bed with me this morning.
I’m not ready for you to leave.
Take me by the hand & lead me anywhere. I’ll follow you.
Take my wrist in your hand & kiss it before you pull me into your arms.
Tell me, tell me all the words I need to hear.
©Elaina M. Avalos

Just Wondering

I was just wondering . . .

Were you jealous? Did the way he smiled at me make you wonder? Were you uncomfortable with how close I stood to him? Did your mind race? Did it matter that when I stopped talking to him, that the first thing I did was to search for you?

We move in perfect tandem. Have you noticed? Did you know it feels like home? I was just wondering.

When I walked away from him, did you explore my face and eyes for a sign that you’re the one? Does it matter that you are? I was just wondering. Did it matter that I explained? Did it matter that I didn’t want to explain – but did. I owe you nothing. Does that matter to you?

Have you asked yourself how we got here? Did you wonder why you were jealous? You were, weren’t you? Were you uncomfortable that I was with him and not you? I was just wondering.

Do you feel flattered? Will it matter? Will it matter to you that I go home alone? Does that matter to you? I was just wondering.

Each day turns – it’s the same thing over and over – I go on alone. I could solve this matter quickly and easily. I have the upper hand. But the ball will not be be in my court, until the moment you stand on my doorstep.

Do you know why? I was just wondering. Do you know how happy we will be? You feel it all of the time. I know you do. Do you know how happy our song will be? I was just wondering.