Somewhere in the Smoky Mountains 
Is a man I left behind years ago,
Now, with a wife and kids, 


I scroll Facebook startled by the luminous Glow 
Of his happy family displayed before me,
And I am instantly transported
Ten years into the past,
Wondering what the outcome could have been if I was more emotionally fearless, 
And he a little more courageous,
But we were young, barely adults, 
Still in our early twenties,
Still sticking to life plans we formed as Children,


No, we had our chance, 
And we both played chicken,
Swerving right before the cataclysmic car Crash, 


We both blamed timing, 
But for me, in the end, it was fear,
I let him go because I was not ready to be a Wife, 
To support him in the way a husband Deserved, 
And I stopped loving him because he could not Make a choice between me and his current Wife,
And I would never want to question my Partner’s loyalty,


So, I left the mystic Smokies for the brusk Roar of the ocean, and salty sun kissed skin, 
And set out on my own adventure,


A thousand miles apart, and ten years have Passed, sitting at my computer desk, 
I do not regret letting him go, 
Nor do I regret the memory of him, 
Nor do I hate his wife and family and their Success,
I just drink my coffee and let the smoky haze Of the past wash over me like a wave,
And listen to the roar of the ocean,
I am grateful for the time we had,
And the lessons I learned,
And the life I have now,
And the life I have yet to lead


~ By Hyacinth Hale