I wish I’d planned better, worked harder, took the other job, done that and not this. I wish I’d had someone to tell me what today would be like. I wish I hadn’t called in sick, took that fall, been more careful at certain things and been more careless at others. I wish I’d been able to see the world, see my grandchildren, see my lover one last time. I wish I’d stayed in the game, away from games of some and closer to those of others. I wish I’d lived when I had the chance and taken chances that made me feel alive when I had them to spend. I wish I could go back in time to take the road less traveled more or just traveled more often. I wish I had more wishes that came true and that I’d been truer to myself. I wish I’d given more instead of giving in. I wish I’d dwelt on cliffs instead of in the valleys, in the nows instead of in the maybes and I wish I’d been more aware. I wish it wasn’t all over when I still have beginnings left to spend. And I wish it wasn’t so quiet and dark and moist and blurry. And I wish it wasn’t so red.
And I wish I’d kept my eyes on the road instead of my phone, and had more time for better final wishes than these.