After Awhile

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand, and chaining a soul, and you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning, and company doesn’t mean security, and you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts, and presents aren’t promises, and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child, and you learn to build all your roads on today, because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans. After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers, and you’ll learn that you really can endure, that you really are strong, and you really do have worth. You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back. Relationships are like sand held in your hand. If you hold the sand loosely, in an open hand, the sand remains where it is, but the minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold on to some of it, but most will be spilled. It’s all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back. True love means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance.