The Wish

by Nicholas Sparks

And in the end, isn’t that the most important thing in life? To be truly known and loved by someone you’ve chosen?”

I eventually came to believe that even if you stuck someone on a fabulous tropical island, the sight would get old after a while. I mean, the ocean never seems to change. Whenever you see it, the water is just there. Sure, the clouds might shift around, and right before sunset the sky might glow orange and red and yellow—but what fun is watching a sunset if there’s no one to share it with?

But you should have seen your expression. You’re very pretty when you have no idea what to say.”

love was the most powerful emotion of all, because it made you vulnerable to the possibility of losing everything that really mattered.

“You don’t want to lose me,” I said. “That’s not the same thing as wanting to be with me.” “They mean exactly the same thing,” he protested. “No, they don’t. Wanting to be with someone is a positive thing. It’s about love and respect and desire. But not wanting to lose someone isn’t about those things. It’s about fear.”