It is a beautifully written paragraph.
Not to discount his writing ability, it is an elaborate way of saying, "It it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all."
What I like about it it that it reminded me of all the good-sweet moments with my ex girlfriend that we were very much in love with. I really thought she was the one. But her drinking habits turned our life into a living hell and we eventually broke up.
