Preface:
Regretisafeelingthatweallexperienceatsomepointinourlives.It'sthatgnawingsensationthattellsusweshouldhavedonesomethingdifferently.Regretcanbeapowerfulmotivatororaheavyburden,dependingonhowwedealwithit.Thisstoryisaboutoneperson'sjourneythroughtheregretoflettinggooflove.
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Sarahsataloneontheparkbench,watchingtheautumnleavesfallfromthetrees.Thecoolbreezetuggedatherhair,remindingherofbetterdayswhenshefeltlovedandsecure.Sheclosedhereyesandletoutadeepsigh,wonderinghoweverythingcouldhavegonesowrong.
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SarahandTomhadbeentogetherforthreeyears,andtheywereinseparable.Theylaughedtogether,explorednewplacestogether,andsharedtheirdeepestsecretswitheachother.Sarahfeltlikeshehadfoundhersoulmate,andTomfeltthesameway.
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Butoneday,Tomgotajobofferinanothercity,andhehadtomoveaway.Sarahwasdevastatedbuttriedtobestrongforhim.Theypromisedtomakeitwork,tostayintouchandvisiteachotherasoftenaspossible.
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Thefirstfewmonthsweretough,buttheymanagedtokeeptheirrelationshipalive.Theytalkedonthephoneeveryday,senteachothergiftsandletters,andcounteddownthedaysuntiltheirnextvisit.
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Butastimewentby,thingsstartedtochange.Tombecamebusierwithwork,andhecouldn'ttalktoSarahasoftenasbefore.Sarahtriedtobeunderstanding,butshecouldn'tshakethefeelingthathewasslippingawayfromher.
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Theystartedarguingmoreoften,aboutsillythingslikewhoforgottocallfirstorwhodidn'treplytoatextmessage.SarahfeltlikeTomwasnolongermakinganefforttokeeptheirrelationshipalive,andithurtherdeeply.
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Oneday,TomcalledSarahandtoldherhehadmetsomeoneelse.Sarah'sheartshatteredintoamillionpieces,andshecouldn'tbelievewhatshewashearing.Tomtriedtoexplainthathestilllovedherbutthathecouldn'thandlethedistanceanymore.
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Sarahbeggedhimtostay,togivethemanotherchance,butTomwasresolute.Hesaidhehadtomoveon,thatitwasbetterforbothofthemtoendthingsnowbeforetheyhurteachotherevenmore.
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Sarahfeltlikeshehadlosteverything.Thepersonshelovedthemosthadchosensomeoneelseoverher,andshecouldn'tdoanythingaboutit.Shespentweekscrying,feelingsorryforherselfandwonderingwhatshehaddonewrong.
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Buteventually,Sarahrealizedthatshecouldn'tkeeplivinginthepast.Shehadtopickherselfupandmoveon,evenifitwasthehardestthingshehadeverdone.Sheknewthatifsheheldontoherregret,itwouldconsumeher.
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Sarahtriedtodistractherselfbythrowingherselfintoherwork,spendingtimewithfriends,andtryingnewhobbies.Shemetnewpeople,wentondates,butnothingseemedtofillthevoidinherheart.
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Oneday,whilewalkinginthepark,Sarahsawacoupleholdinghandsandlaughing.Shecouldn'thelpbutfeelapangofjealousyandsadness.Shewonderedifshewouldeverfindloveagain.
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Asshewalkedfurther,shestumbleduponabeautifulgardenfilledwithrosesofallcolors.Sarahhadalwayslovedroses,andshefeltdrawntothem.Shewalkedovertotherosebushesandadmiredtheirbeauty.
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Asshewasabouttoleave,Sarahnoticedamansittingonabenchnearby.Hewasstaringattheroseswithathoughtfulexpression.Sarahrecognizedhimasoneoftheregularsinthepark,andtheyhadexchangedpleasantriesafewtimes.
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Sarahdecidedtostrikeupaconversationwithhim,andtheytalkedabouttherosesandtheirsharedlovefornature.ThemanintroducedhimselfasJohnandtoldSarahthathecametotheparkeverydaytoclearhishead.
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Theystartedmeetingupintheparkregularlyandtalkingabouttheirlives,dreams,andregrets.Johnhadalsogonethroughatoughbreakupafewyearsago,andheunderstoodwhatSarahwasgoingthrough.
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SarahfoundcomfortinJohn'scompany.Helistenedtoherwithoutjudgment,andhealwayshadakindwordorathoughtfuladvice.Sarahstartedtoseehimasafriend,someonewhohadcomeintoherlifeattherighttime.
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Oneday,whilewalkinginthepark,SarahrealizedthatshehadstoppedthinkingaboutTom.Shenolongerfeltthepainofhisbetrayalortheregretoflettinghimgo.Shehadmovedon,andshefeltfree.
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SarahlookedatJohn,whowaslookingatherwithasmileonhisface.Sherealizedthathehadbeenthereforherallalong,andthathewasmorethanjustafriend.Sarahfeltsomethingstirinherheart,somethingshehadn'tfeltinalongtime.
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Johntookherhand,andtheywalkedtowardstherosegarden.Hepickedabeautifulredroseandgaveittoher,sayingthatitsymbolizednewbeginnings.Sarahfeltherheartswellwithhappinessandhope.
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Astheywalkedoutofthepark,Sarahrealizedthatsometimes,wehavetoletgoofwhatwethinkwewanttofindwhatwetrulyneed.ShelookedatJohn,whowasstillholdingherhand,andknewthatshehadfoundsomethingprecious.
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Sarahsmiled,knowingthatshehadfinallyletgoofherregretandhadfoundthebittersweetmemoriesoflove.
