What Might Have Been

As I get older, I start to reflex on things that have happened in my life and those who have passed through it.  When my mother passed two years ago, I saw how many broken bridges that she left behind. I decided that I wanted to mend any of the ones that I broke while I still had time on this earth.

One such bridge was back in Germany.  There was a very special person I met when I went to my first duty station. He took me to my first authentic German restaurant and I had my first true German beer.  I started to get close to him when things started to come between us, things that if I had just talked with him about, could have been avoided.  Well, we parted and not on good terms.  I will never forget the last look he gave me before he left.

He never knew that I used to sneak around to the motor pool where he worked just to see if I could get a glimpse of him.  I used to walk down the hallway of the barracks and pass by his room just to see if I could hear his voice.

Well, years passed and yesterday I finally found him.  We talked for a couple of hours and I started to miss what might have been.  If only I had said something before he left maybe things would be different.  If only I told him that I loved him.

He has done well for himself and for that I am grateful.  As a part of me morns the loss of what might have been, I can only hope that at least I mended a broken bridge.

Michelle