It snuck up on me, this realisation that there comes a point when you've lived long enough, when you've suffered in enough unique ways that nothing can ever be purely sweet again. Every new scent, every new sight, every new experience reminds you of a painful memory. So you may be able to appreciate its beauty for a second or so, but eventually it just leads you to think of all the ways that it can go wrong. And in the end all you are left with is a bitter aftertaste.