The Girl Who Collected "Almosts"

In a world where "being first place" was everything, Clara gathered up "all the leftovers."

Others included works that were "almost finished," messages that were "almost sent," and "almost rain," which would always pour down from the clouds whenever they wanted to rain on themselves. Occupied the park bench, releasing the stale smell of old books and remorse. Accompanying him was an old man who kept staring at the old phone he could no longer use.

While everyone else progressed, Clara accepted all aspects of the 'almosts'.

One day, at the park, Clara found yet another almost. "Almost goodbye" occupied the park bench, releasing the stale smell of old books and remorse. Accompanying him was an old man who kept staring at the old phone he could no longer use.

"It's here," she whispered quietly as she sat next to him." The things you never got to say."

Her almost' eyes were weary, but he turned towards her and responded, "I thought it was gone. I thought that it would disappear if I could never say it."

Clara searched through her bag and took out her tiny glass vial, carefully placing her "almost goodbye" into the bottle. "It will never leave you," she whispered softly. "All it needs is acceptance."

She handed over the little bottle to the man. “There is no need for you to send it. You just have to accept it is true.”

The man took the vial. At last, after a decade-long ordeal, the tension was stripped away from his body. Victory and crossing the finish line were never the things he needed. It was acceptance that he needed. Clara walked out of the building, relieved at how smooth everything had felt physically and emotionally. Some days are when you appreciate being just shy of failure.