The smoke of hope
Reaches up
Desperate and
Longing
Wishing for purchase
But finding only
Me

The ruins of dreams
Lay broken
Cities of futures lost
Now rubble
Now broken
Now lifeless

Above them all
On a bridge rendered of
The last, frayed nerve
On the final vaulted sanctuary
Stands
Me

Once a monster
Once a dreamer
Once a lover
A teacher
A friend
I am alone

I look over
Desolation
Remembering past
Glory
And wonder

Paths not taken
Promises not kept
Lies told and truths hidden

On that bridge
I am soldier
With no war to call
Home

Do you ever look back on your life and wonder if you'd change anything? Do you see the myriad ways a single different decision could have taken you? Our lives are like droplets of water running down a window. Think of that next time it's raining. A single drop takes its path, but all the slight imperfections from dirt of fingerprints or bumps in the surface - our decisions - can cause it to take another direction, with the intersections from other droplets - other people - diverting it again and again.

You shouldn't regret what you've done. You should use it to grow and be a better you. Paths not taken and promises not kept may have brought you to where you are, but you can set a new course, if you want to or need to.

I do hope you're happy. I hope you're not standing on a bridge and seeing the desolation from the wars you've fought.