I wish

As I lay here, I think about my life. 

About who I was

What I had, 

what I did, 

and most of all—

What I wish had been. 

I wish I had watched more birds,

Pausing to see swallows dance in twilight.

I wish I had used fewer words,

So silence could reveal its wisdom. 

I wish I had been present with family and friends,

Not lost in the noise of tomorrow’s plans. 

I wish I had built bridges and made amends,

Cherishing differences of opinion. 

I wish I hadn’t been glued to my phone,

Chasing superficial connections.

I wish I had learned to enjoy being alone,

And discovered Life was my companion. 

I wish I had taken better care of my health,

Treated my body as a temple, not a tool.

I wish I had obsessed less over my wealth,

Such riches never brought me peace. 

I wish I had laughed more at myself,

And found joy in the folly of my flaws.

I wish I had placed my pride on the shelf,

And dropped that burdensome need to be right. 

I wish I had the courage to trust my gut.

To follow the whisper that knew the way. 

I wish I had learned to embrace the ruts,

And see beauty in the absence of progress. 

I wish I had dropped my need for approval, 

Not letting outside opinions define my life. 

I wish I had learned to give honest refusal,

And vowed to be true to myself.

I wish I hadn’t wasted time on worry,

Losing years to fears that never came.

I wish I hadn’t been in such a big hurry,

And missed the miracles of everyday moments. 

I wish I had lived in the world

Instead of in my head.

I wish I had known—

No matter how big the ripples on the surface,

The water is always calm underneath.

Now, with nothing else left to do,

I wish to have no more wishes.

I wish to let go of the past.

I wish to be here.

I wish to Be.