The years we didn’t get, but the years we do.

I didn’t get you in your twenties.

Or thrities.

Hell, I didn’t even get you in your forties. 😭

My heart breaks at times,

thinking about the years that are now behind us,

and how we didn’t get to experience them together.

We didn’t grow up together,

on the same street just three houses down.

You didn’t get to be my middle school crush,

nor did we get to experience prom together.

We didn’t get to date in college,

nor did we get to rent a tiny apartment together as young 22 year olds,

broke and living off ramen and rice.

We didn’t get to buy a first house together,

and paint the master bedroom 6 times before finding the right shade.

We didn’t get to have babies with each other,

we didn’t get to pick out her crib and rush to the hospital during labor.

We didn’t plan family vacations to Disney,

while navigating logistics with small children in tow.

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We each lived entire separate lives before our lines finally crossed paths.

But everything that came before us,

has shaped us to what we are today.

And I absolutely love this version of you,

so my only hope is because of that,

the years to come are to be better than what was before.

No… I didn’t get you in your twenties,

but I get you now…

And now we get to experience our own magic at this stage in our lives

that only comes after time, growth, and wisdom.

And look at all that we DO still get to have together.

We get coffee on ordinary mornings.

We get road trips and getaways.

We get sunsets on the front porch.

We get to buy a weird house.

We get flowers and infinite plants.

We get endless conversations.

We get to gaze at starry night skies.

We get retirement mornings.

We get to watch kids leave the nest.

We get to become the old couple holding hands in the park.

We get the rest of this time, forever.

I’ll probably always wonder about the years we didn’t get…

But I won’t waste any of the years we do.

Because every day from here on out…

Is another year we finally get to keep.

And maybe the heart break really comes from

not necessarily wishing we met sooner,

but wishing forever lasted a little longer. 🥹❤️