WANTS and NEEDS

        I have a birthday coming up soon. I was reminded of this by my brother, who is three years younger than me, and my sister, who is six years younger. I honestly hadn't thought about it, having had other, more pressing things on my mind. Every year, my family asks me the same question: What do I want for my birthday?
    I'm going to be 35 this year. Something of a milestone. It's the halfway mark between 30 and 40, at least for that one day, because as soon as you are 35 years and ONE DAY old, you're officially closer to 40 than you are to 30. That's a big deal to some people, so when asked what they want, some will half-jokingly reply "To be 30 again."
    There is a difference between what we WANT and what we NEED. I'm not just talking about birthdays, holidays, or whenever else we're expecting gifts. Just in general. When we're hungry, we say we NEED food. That part is true, but do we NEED a double-quarter-pounder with large fries and a Coke? No. We WANT it. When we're thirsty, we say we NEED  a drink, but do we NEED an iced tea or V-8?
    Granted, these needs are biological. Our body needs food and water to survive, the same way we need clothing and shelter to withstand and survive the elements. Technically, we don't NEED companionship to survive, human beings are fully capable of individual survival, but there is a difference between SURVIVAL and LIVING, the same way there are differences between NEEDS and WANTS.
    Companionship makes life worth living. Variety in the food we eat, the fluids we drink, and the activities we do transform survival into living and WANTS into NEEDS. These are not actual NEEDS, but psychological needs, the way a smoker NEEDS a cigarette or we NEED to have our cell phones or a big soft bed to sleep in. It's why you go out after a stressful day, because you NEED to get away and relax and you NEED to have a drink. It's why you go to a club or a party and look at everyone dressed nice and having a good time, because you NEED to dance and decompress and NEED to get laid.
    Ah, there's another one. Sex. Oh, c'mon, you knew it was going to come up in here sooner or later, because we NEED to discuss it. Sex, believe it or not, sex is a biological need. As animals, we have a deep-seeded need to procreate and spread the gene pool. However, as HUMANS, we are more highly evolved and refer to this urge as LUST. It's a primal thing, and all animals do it. When we see someone we consider "hot", our hormonal output increases, our body starts giving off pheromones, and we start looking for ways to impress the attractive party. We like to think it's part of a personality, but it's not. It's more basic than that. When we see someone we find attractive, it is not a WANT that draws us to them. It is a NEED.
    We NEED to procreate, and that's what it's about. Humans are one of three species that have sex for recreation, next to apes and dolphins. That's another psychological need: decompression. Humans are predisposed to stress and worry. Other species do not have the concerns humans do, yet every species on this planet has this similar need. Dogs play, cats play, squirrels play... do bugs play? Probably, in their own weird little way. But we need to relax, we need to let loose, we need to go out and have fun and yes, sometimes we need to look like idiots. It's good for the heart, it's good for the soul, it's good for the body. Keep in mind that what affects the mind and heart also affects the body, so we need to not be so serious all the time.
    There IS a difference between WANTING and NEEDING, even if they are interchangeable sometimes. I WANT to climb back into my big, comfy bed and lie down, but I NEED to get moving and accomplish something today, the same way that if you're reading this, you did it because you WANTED to, not because you felt you NEEDED to. :) Now, go and do something you WANT to do.