What do I do… When the person I now love sits in pain?

A similar pain to my own, but still so different and all his own.

What do I do on the hard days when I see you crying your eyes out with an ocean of feeling inside you? Wishing that I could somehow dive inside of it and feel it for you.

Knowing that even that wouldn’t help you.

What do I do in those moments, when suddenly, I haven’t a clue what to say or do?

When my protective instincts want so badly for you to not hurt, but my years of wisdom remind me that you must, and that your pain is yours to have.

That your pain should never be taken from you, because it is part of your love, and your story.

Your brave, broken, beautiful story.

 

I know this, but I still fight the urge to “fix” in my head like anyone else.

I know this, but that doesn’t make it not hurt.

Knowing never takes away hurting.

So I hurt with you. Because it’s all I know to do.

I sit close, I breathe while you breathe.

I try hard to listen to the subtle cues of your body. I hold you when you’re ready.

I’m quiet mostly, because words sometimes just get in the way.

Eventually, I say all I know to say in hard moments…

That I’m here, and you’re not alone. 

 

I suppose that’s all any of us want, really, isn’t it?