“When it’s gone, you’ll know what a gift love was. You’ll suffer like this. So go back and fight to keep it.” ~Ian McEwan, Enduring Love
The space between heartbeats is filled with the echoes of the past.
The laughter and the “I love you’s” that made us feel as though we had all the time in the world to say what we wanted to say and do what we intended to do, but never did.
Those moments that we prayed would play out like a scene in a movie that never came to fruition. Except life is not a movie, even if our lives are our personal stories that can become our happily ever after, or not.
All of it can change in the blink of an eye, forgotten like a whisper in the dark. All that remains is the ache for that embrace that brought us comfort. The craving for that kiss that sent a ripple through our souls. The presence of that one person who made us feel complete.
Some would argue that it’s never to late to start over, to go back and say, “I’m sorry, I love you, let’s try this again.”
That’s true, but the sad truth is that for some it isn’t possible, because the fragility of life and the finality of death is capable of stealing the moment away from us.
And so I dare to encourage you to take that chance. If there is even the slightest flicker of love still burning, then do it. Say “I love you,” say “I’m sorry,” say “Let’s try this again.” For even a candle is capable of igniting a blaze.
When you do this, when you return to that love that was lost to pride and anger and pain, pour yourself into it entirely. Fill that space between heartbeats with the echoes of laughter and “I love you’s” that will grant you the time to say and do what you had always wanted to say and do.
Love each other as though you may lose each other, and you’ll find that you won’t lose anything at all…except the regret.
Felix Alexander Writer 