Before The End

Imagine life is like a novel,
Containing all we could want.
But, in reality...
Little of what we have.

The trick I think,
Is to appreciate what we do have,
And not get too caught up,
In what we don't.

Understanding all of what we wanted,
Would not have brought satisfaction...
Contentment or peace.
And in my case,
Literal pipe dreams,
Making it hard to see what's real,
Through all that smoke.

The end is not the end,
With more pages yet to turn.
More to say,
More to do,
More to learn,
And more to share.

More choices to make,
More people to meet.
Friends to experience,
And some to leave behind.

More sadness to endure,
But hopefully, more joy yet to come.
More life to live,
Before the end.