UNDER AN OLD OAK TREE

I sit under a sacred old oak tree with Paddy at my feet while listening to a young man share his enchanting music with a small crowd. In this picturesque setting of beautiful Texas wildflowers surrounding us are dancing toddlers. Parents, grandparents, and everyone alike revels in their uninhibited joy.

Suddenly, I spot the back of someone’s head walking by. I wonder if it’s the man I once dearly loved decades ago. I rarely think of him now other than to ask our daughter how her father is doing. Soon, once-lost memories start flooding back, but mostly, the treasured times when Marcy was one of those toddlers dancing and the three of us were a family. Sadness quickly overtakes me, and I wonder why we didn’t try hard enough to hang on to love and our family and what it would be like now if we had. Would we be one of those couples bringing their grandchildren to listen to music?
Regrets are like storm clouds on a sunny day. I force myself to be grateful I had both good and bad past experiences. The bad times made me appreciate the good times, even more had I not had them. I consciously decided to enjoy this moment with Paddy, sitting amongst happy families and listening to great music on a lovely afternoon surrounded by beautiful wildflowers. This is enough.



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