Almost Is Never Enough

They say,

the saddest word in the English dictionary 

is almost. 

I never really understood why.

That was of course, before I met you. 

Before we almost were a thing. 

Before we almost fell in love. 

Before we almost made it. 

We messed up somewhere along the road.

And suddenly the things we used to love

about each other

became burdens in our every day lives. 

We gave up. 

We almost got there, but we never quite did. 

And that's a hard reality to swallow. 

But after awhile you learn

the subtle difference between 

holding a hand

and chaining a soul. 

You learn that love 

doesn't always mean loving, 

and company doesn't always mean security. 

You begin to learn 

that kisses aren't contracts

and presents are promises. 

You begin to accept your defeats

with your head up and eyes forward.

With the grace of a woman, 

not the grief of a child. 

And you will learn

to build all of your roads on today

because tomorrows ground is too uncertain for plans.

And that futures have a way 

of falling apart mid flight. 

After awhile you start to learn 

that even sunshine burns

when you get too much. 

So you plant your own garden, 

and paint your own soul,

instead of waiting 

for someone to bring you flowers. 

And you learn,

that you really can endure. 

You really are strong. 

And you really do have worth. 

And you learn, 

and you learn, 

and you learn. 

With every "Goodbye", 

you learn.