What Would be Missing?

Laugh lines
They mirror the thoughts
Only 10 years ago, she had none
Her life had been nothing to laugh about,
But now, her child and husband were everything she needed.

Long ago,
Dried tears
They tattooed her beautiful face
The knife sat in her hand, permanently engraved
She wanted to use it, and she almost did
Fortunately, a group of friends she didn't know made her reevaluate.

What would she have missed?
Everything
A long dress hangs from a closet door
It reminds her of a canopy
And when she puts it on, it's everything she's hoped for, and more.

She turns the key in the ignition
It, like so many things, is a perfect fit
Her first car and she's saved for it herself
The color she wanted and no one decided for her
She would've missed independence.

A dark night
The buggy's handle planted in her eager hands
She hadn't dreamt of meeting him
Especially not here,
But Mr. Right reaches for the same carton of milk simultaneously.

Wedding bells
They ring in her ears
Another long, beautiful dress of a different color
Mr. Right is still here, and she would've missed this
She would've missed love.

The line is blue
She can't believe it
She's pregnant and happy in life
She finds out it's a girl
She's glowing
Mr. Right is equally excited.

The hospital is suddenly filled with noise
Her little girl cries
She couldn't be happier to hold something so little
This is her child,
And she would've missed motherly joy.

The tears she cried as she held little Macey
Were different than all that came before
Back 10 years ago, the tears meant potential death
The tears meant self-loathing
Now, the tears meant THANK GOD I DIDN'T TAKE MY OWN LIFE!
She would've missed eternal gratefulness!