almost

I used to say that

“Almost”

Is the saddest word I know—

Almost got the job,

Almost made the team,

Almost promised forever.

But now I’m not so sure.

Because there are 

A lot of haunting stories

Of people who almost didn’t get

What they wanted so badly—

And now they look back 

At better times

With bitter eyes.

Maybe they did get the job

Did make the team

Did fall in love . . .

And it was the worst thing that ever happened to them.

So maybe sometimes 

Almost

Isn’t a sad word—

Maybe it’s the very thing

That saves us.