The definition of want according to Merriam-Webster:

intransitive verb

1: to be needy or destitute

2: to have or feel need

3: to be necessary or needed

4: to desire to come, go, or be

transitive verb

1: to fail to possess especially in customary or required amount 

2a: to have a strong desire for b: to have an inclination to 

3a: to have need of  b: to suffer from the lack of

While thinking about this post, I found that I was using the word “want” a lot so I looked up the meaning. It’s a pretty big word to be only 4 letters.

Having the definition in front of me clarified my thinking about “want” versus “need”.

I am in Central Texas.

I want it to be warmer. It is 14 degrees right now…up from 0 when I woke up this morning…I feel a need.

I still have electricity and heat! So many of my neighbors, friends, family and fellow Texans do not and have not had electricity for hours and some for days…I am not needy.

We don’t have running water (by choice). We turned it off at the road to try and protect our plumbing (we live in a manufactured home and there is no way to protect pipes in single digit temperatures). We filled our tub and containers with water. It is inconvenient, but we have what we need.

I have a strong desire to be done with this winter event and to bask in the sunshine…

to not have on 3 layers of clothing in the house…

to quit going out every two hours to provide my chickens with unfrozen water…

to share my heat with those who don’t have it…

I want this to be over and for the next storm to not be heading our way.

I am “failing to possess especially in customary amounts”. 

I “have a strong desire for” life to return to normal.

I do not actually “suffer from the lack of” anything right now.

We are doing ok.

It’s hard to believe that this is real life…

Peace…