it's always ridiculous looking back
at the heart-breakers, the what-ifs,
the could-have-beens and happily-ever-afters.

you almost laugh at the silly things
like first and last name combinations
or what you'd name your children.

at the time you're so engrossed
and often drowning in a sea
of potential love and harmony.

yet when you finally surface
it isn't despair -- but relief --
that the future is still yours.