It was the voices they were fighting Not you The ones that kept them on the front line Always poised; armed; for an attack Once you understand Just how irrelevant "you" really were That you could have said and done a million different things That wouldn't have mattered, That their demons weren't yours to fight Once you understand It wasn't ever your responsibility To make them feel worthy of love To change their mind; change their heart That their promises were always meant to betray Despite you Despite your effort That you were just another figurine Placed on some overfilled shelf That held their every failed opportunity To overcome; break free; win Once you understand That to them you were an enemy That you signified future pain That must be pre-empted, That you could never shine enough light To light their way And that they never wanted you to That you were just collateral damage Once you truly understand those things Your heart begins too heal. Your soul finds forgiveness. You find a way to keep loving them, While you let them go. Yes, you will hurt You will cry; bargain; beg. But in the end You will be "you" again. And that is a beautiful thing.