Ever had a missed opportunity?
Whether it’s just a neighbour
Who waved at you
Across the way
From the window
And you froze
And didn’t wave back.
In lockdown.
And now you don’t know
How To Pull it Back.
‘Cos maybe won’t take rejection a second time
And yet, you won’t put your neck on the block
Even though it was them who put their neck on the line
That first time
And you are lonely and isolated
And have fantasized and wished
For a long time
That they would wave at you again.
But you know it’s not their call
And you know you would wave back manically
If they waved back at you again.
‘Cos you just froze
Like you always do.
And backed away from the window
Now they turn away from their window
When you are there
Or look away
Won’t take rejection a second time
But sometimes they stare
Straight at you
Hoping you’ll return the kind gesture
They gave you
But you can’t be spontaneous
Or even planned
Would rather crawl on the floor
Then pass by the window again.
And have often done, to your shame.
Ahem, okay, let’s get off this train of thought
Where was I?
Oh yes, look…
Perhaps there was an job opportunity
A job you didn’t take
Or applied for
Because you didn’t think
You were good enough
Or worthy enough
Or could do it
And sustain it
And authenticate it
Or believe you could do it
Or a romantic relationship that
Passed you by
Because you knew it was wrong
Or maybe it was right
And you fought it tooth and nail
And murdered your feelings
For an easy life
Or because it wasn’t what you were
Or what you were supposed to do
But it never led to an easy anything
Did it?
Ever had a missed opportunity?
When you haven’t smiled
Or didn’t stand up for yourself
Or didn’t say the right thing
The thing you wanted to say
Or didn’t say anything
And let that moment pass
That valuable, precious moment
Hindsight is
20 20 vision
Sometimes.
You didn’t say the right thing
Didn’t do the right thing
What is the right thing?
Is there such a thing?
As a missed opportunity?
If you didn’t do it the first time round
Maybe there is a good reason.
Your natural self reacted
Responses are instinctive
Sometimes not fast enough
For other people
Who Live Their Life
In The Fast Lane
Or you were pre-emptive
But it’s not always what you think it should be
It doesn’t have to be anything
Don’t beat yourself up
Over missed opportunities
Don’t regret these so called
‘Missed opportunities’
We just don’t know
How it would have turned out
If it had happened
It might have been the worst thing
We ever did.
But next time,
As a result of all the missed opportunities
Maybe we might be
More spontaneous
The next time round
And if not
It doesn’t matter
As there’s always a next time
And God Is Good
And will give you limitless opportunities
To miss opportunitiies
Or to hit them
On the bullseye
Every single day
Of your life.