It started with a handshake and a smile. He walked into my world as a casual acquaintance without a second thought of being anything more. Today, he's the object of my daydreams.

Innocent conversations that were made in passing uncovered our similarities, our likes and dislikes and our dreams and aspirations. The more I learned, the more I liked. I found his soft spoken and easy-going demeanor charming; his ambition attractive and his good manners a welcoming surprise.

I had acknowledged him as a platonic companion, a neighbor in the professional space that we shared. It was only when I felt my heart sink a little at the realization that we wouldn't be more that I recognized what I was feeling.

He represented possibility. The idea that the grass was greener on the other side. My heart yearned to know what it was like, to experience what, until now, my mind had only imagined. It was like discovering that unicorns existed. But was I worthy of experiencing such a thing?

My mind began to cast doubts given the reality of my situation. I felt tainted, damaged. How could I expect someone who possessed the positive qualities I looked for accept someone like me who was so clearly imperfect? And had I already single-handedly eliminated any chance that existed?

Only time will tell at this point.  Until something tells me otherwise, I'll hold on to my daydreams.