"River" by Sarah McLachlan

"I wish I had a river that I could skate away on."

There's something about this song that gets to me every time I hear it.
The words meshed with her breezy but yearning vocals, the melancholy tempo and dreamy instrumentals, not to mention the haunting little reprise of Jingle Bells at the end, well, it's just what I need on one of those December days when I wish Christmas didn't have to be so crazy.
When I wish I didn't have to do the everyday stuff on top of the shopping, decorating, wrapping, mailing, and school program going and could just watch Meet Me in St. Louis, The Nutcracker, and The Holiday non-stop while sitting by only the glowing lights of my Christmas tree or gazing out a window upon a winter wonderland and do nothing but dream, dream, dream...

And maybe it's the countless ice skating competitions/specials I've watched over the years, but when I listen to this song I can clearly see myself skating a complete choreographed ice skating routine from start to finish.
I know every move.
I can feel the crisp, chilled air rush across my face and hair as I glide swiftly over the iced river.
My skirt fabric flapping around my tight covered legs.
Bits of snow wetting my knees.
Blades cutting and crunching the frozen water.
My nose red and numb; sniffles coming on.
A fuzzy scarf warming my neck.
Knit gloves only slightly keeping my hands warm.
Dry mouth and lips turned up in an elated smile.
Head tilted back.
Eyelids closed to shield my eyes from the bright, white sun.
Snow covered mountains in the distance and white pine trees flanking the river like great pillars - sentinels marking the path to pure winter bliss.
Spinning, gliding.
Swirling, twirling.

Floating...

flying.

And I don't skate.
But I can see it.
I can taste it.
I can feel it.

Maybe I'm experiencing a really vivid dream about skating or perhaps I'm actually skating having thoughts of my other life I don't have to go back to for a long, long while.

This is my Christmas Wish.