The Chances I Never Took

I remember the mornings

When my feet stayed still

Even though my heart whispered

“Step forward.”

I remember the words

I wanted to say

But swallowed them quietly

Fearing they were too small

Or too loud

Or too much.

I remember the doors

Life opened softly

And I let them close

Because I did not feel ready

To enter.

I remember the dreams

I folded and hid

In drawers

In notebooks

In the corners of my mind

Where no one could see them.

I remember the people

I admired from afar

The smiles I never shared

The hands I never held

The chances I let pass

Because I feared falling

Or failing

Or being unseen.

I held my silence

Like a shield

Like a quiet friend

Who kept me safe

But also kept me small.

I see now

That the chances I missed

Were teachers

Not punishments.

They taught me patience

They taught me courage

Slowly, softly

Like morning light through leaves.

They taught me

That small steps are still steps

That trying is better than waiting

That fear is only a shadow

And shadows fade

When you move.

I stand now

With lighter hands

And a braver heart

Ready to speak

Ready to reach

Ready to step

Even if the path is uncertain.

The chances I never took

Do not haunt me

They guide me

They remind me

That every moment

Can be a beginning

If I choose it.

I will not wait for perfect courage

I will not wait for the world

To make the road easy

I will take it

Step by step

Word by word

Dream by dream

With the hope I once hid

Shining quietly in my chest.

The chances I never took

Became my lessons

Became my light

Became the courage

To move forward

And take the chances

That are waiting for me now.