I often think about the past

I like to think about the past 

I can’t help thinking about the past

And the people I have known,

loved, and lost

I’ve loved those I’ve lost

And I’ve lost those I’ve loved

 

I reinvent the past

I reimagine the past

I reconfigure the past

Combine characters, events, and feelings

I create new endings

I create new todays

I wish for new tomorrows

 

I worry about the past

And those I’ve hurt

Of missed opportunities

Of paths I’ve taken

And paths I haven’t taken

 

I accept the past

I forgive the past

I celebrate the past

I celebrate the friendships,

love, and happiness I’ve shared

And for those I’ve loved

And for those I’ve cared

 

I celebrate today

I celebrate the future

For that is all we have

And that is a lot to have

I reconcile the past,

present, and future

Yesterday, today,

and tomorrow

Happiness, joy, and sorrow

I have gratitude for what I had

I have gratitude for what I have

I have gratitude for what I will have

 

Nicholas O’Farrell 2021