The Present I Almost Missed

I chased tomorrows, vast and bright,

A future glowing just out of sight.

My mind was bound to distant schemes,

Weaving worlds from fragile dreams.

The past would whisper, soft yet clear,

Regretful echoes clung so near.

Each fleeting moment, I let it slide,

Lost in the shadows where memories hide.

The sun would rise; I’d barely see,

Its golden warmth meant naught to me.

The laughter rang; I turned away,

Eyes fixed on a far-off, better day.

Yet time, relentless, slow and sure,

Begins to teach, begins to cure.

A fleeting glance, a gentle hand,

Reminded me to understand:

The gift of now, this beating heart,

A fleeting canvas, fragile art.

The wind, the trees, the morning mist—

The present that I almost missed.

So here I stand, my breath held still,

No longer bound by future will.

For life unfolds in moments small,

And this one here? It holds it all.