What to do about the past

What do you do when nostalgia sweeps over your very core of being?
When memories taunt you of what was and your dreams tease you with the-could-have-beens?

I'll tell you what I did.
I took a deep breath,
I dove into the nostalgia and I allowed my feelings to respond
Responded to my memories and I nodded at my dreams.
Then when the chill of the familiarity was gone, and my memories ran into my dreams and the could-have-beens.

I left it in that moment.
I took another step, smiled and moved on.

Originally published in 2011