The Things I Missed
People think we miss a person.
Sometimes we do.
But more often, we miss a life we built with them.
—
Coffee before a road trip.
Hash browns and long conversations.
Driving I-70 with nowhere we had to be.
Hiking in the mountains.
Forest adventures.
Talking about absolutely anything.
Being able to be completely myself.
Laughing at stupid jokes.
Shared humor that nobody else would understand.
Feeling understood.
Feeling accepted.
Feeling connected.
Looking forward to weekends.
Having someone who made ordinary moments feel like something.
Having someone to call.
Having someone to tell things to.
Having someone who knew me when my guard was down.
The friendship.
The companionship.
The sense of wonder.
—
That's what I missed.
Not one moment.
A thousand small moments.
Maybe that's why some people stay with us long after they're gone.