real love

I never thought…

I never really believed love…

Real love could exist…

Growing up…

Love was an illusion…

A false promise covering empty hearts and even emptier homes…

Growing up…

Love was just for show…

A performance only meant to show off for others…

Growing up…

Love was silence and secrets and brokenness….

Growing up…

Love was pain…and loneliness…and selfishness….

Growing up…

Love was a game, a manipulation, a plot twist…

Growing up…

Love was war…

Where your enemies always won….

But now…

All that has changed….

Because I don’t believe all of that…

Was ever really love at all…

Because you showed me differently…

You stood by me at my worst….

You comforted me when I was broken…

You continued to love me even when I couldn’t love myself…

You made me laugh and love more…just to see happiness in your heart….

You took care of me and never let me feel like I was nothing….

You never gave up on me….

You defended me even when I couldn’t see any good in myself…

You believed in me when I had nothing to give….

You forgave me when I could only hurt you and myself…

You showed me how to love and how to live….

Real love….

It once was only a dream…

One I never fully believed would reach me…

But now I know…

It has….

And I would suffer all my darkest days….

And I would cry lifetimes of tears….

And I would risk everything….

To have it.

To protect it.

To care for it.

Because love…

Love knows no fear….

Love is brave and bold and strong….

Love doesn’t hide…

Love doesn’t harm…

Love is everything….

Fear has nothing…

My whole life…

All I knew was fear….

All I survived was a prison of pain….

But all of that is over now….

A new beginning….

A new life….

A new world…

One of love….

One of real love….