The Collected Regrets of Clover

by Mikki Brammer

The most important thing is never to look away from someone’s pain. Not just the physical pain of their body shutting down, but the emotional pain of watching their life end while knowing they could have lived it better.

“It’s always important to be honest, Clover—even when people don’t hold you accountable.”

At least when you’re alone, there’s no risk of getting hurt. After all, you can’t lose something you don’t have.

So the best way to understand the world is to look for its patterns.”

“What kind of life are you living if you’ve never let anyone see the real you?”

“It’s just a little bit of water, kid. And besides, there are only so many times in your life you get to play in the rain.” He turned his face skywards, grinning. “Might as well enjoy it while I can.”

What was it like to turn heads like that, to assert your presence with such charisma, so unafraid to be seen and admired?

That shared intimacy among strangers where, for just a moment, everyone laid aside the baggage of life to be completely present as one—a communal hopefulness.

It’s easy to glamorize the path you didn’t take.

The moths started fluttering in my stomach.

Each small detail he shared about himself felt like catching a firefly in a jar.

And instead of constantly asking ourselves the question of why we’re here, maybe we should be savoring a simpler truth: We are here.