Broken Relationship

Stop crowding me; stop pretending you care.
It's been way too long since you left me...
I know he needed all your love and attention.
I knew it and have known all along
That he needs way more than me.
I'm sorry I snapped under the strain and tension.
I'm sorry I gave way and added to your depression.
But I couldn't cope, with my own sorrow
And I couldn't reach you. You tuned me out.

I know why you didn't want me too close.
You'd been hurt by the guy who should've cared
Who should've loved you and held you
Guarded and lead your heart the way you needed.
Who should've been sensitive to your needs
And opened to God's direction to heal your marriage.
You are afraid of anyone coming close,
Knowing your sorrow and pain deeply again.
You're afraid to trust, afraid to be open to be hurt.

I understand so much. My sister and I...we're so much like you.
We're all three of us sensitive and emotional beings
Trying to be strong, fighting to get through life.
I denied I was like you so long, and even now
I like to think at times that I'm more hard than both of you.
I hope so; I hope I've learned the lessons from both of you
And spare myself from the same kind of pain.
Although in a strange way, I'm going through it myself...
And doing exactly what you did - I'm pulling away.

You hit me where it hurt without mercy.
I pulled back from you, and then of course - he took your attention.
He needed it - I've never argued that. Just sometimes
When it seemed like I needed and tried to reach out to you,
You were so distant, always thinking about him.
I pulled back, back to my friends...and got hurt by them.
But you aren't there...you weren't there.
Even now, when I try to share my interests and joys with you,
You always find something to criticise and condemn.

There's caution and there's a complete putting-down.
Why can't we find a level between the two?
Why don't we share any common interests, and why
Can't we enjoy the differences between our common interests
And encourage each other in them? After all, I don't condemn
Your interest and I do try to fake some kind
Of sharing pleasure in what interests you. But you're
Rarely willing to try and find something in mine without condemning.

Sometimes I can sense the desperate frustration as we
Try to find a way to communicate with all our barriers.
You want to reach me, and I want to reach you.
But we can't reach out through our mutual pain.
I daren't share my secret life with you - for you've condemned
And hurt me way too often before. I'm not willing
To be open to that kind of pain again. Can't you see?
You're built exactly the same way as me. We're the same!
We both - can't - face that pain again!

But right now, please...you can't force me to come back.
You pushed me away when I needed you most. And now
I need them. And they need me. Can't you see that?
We all have pain - and I can't help you. They can't help
What they do to try and ease that pain. How would you react
If you knew I'd done exactly the same? If you kick me
Away from them now, you will destroy the one thing that's left
That holds me to some level of humanity, to some softness.
I am so afraid of having to decide my life's fate right now.

But you're going to push me to it if you take away
My friends, the only ones who know me and still love me.
Who criticise and don't try to do it to hurt me,
Don't take them away. Or you'll push me even further.
Mom, listen to my heart by looking at your own.
I'm sorry things are like this. I'm so, so sorry.
And I know - I can never, never tell you how much
That God is using these friendships to help me,
Because I can never reveal my true self.

Stop trying to take them away.
Stop trying to force me to be what I cannot.
Stop trying to deal with me like you couldn't.
Try to understand.
Try to see me in you.
I'm so sorry it had to turn out like this.
I'm so sorry I turned out this way.
I'm sorry this can never be spoken aloud.
Oh Mom. I'd never dare to show you this.

Because we don't understand.