I think that our hearts are not one piece, but rather, made up of many little pieces
As we go through life, we give those pieces away to those we meet who touch us.
Once given, they cannot be retrieved, they are gone forever
In return, we receive a piece from those whose lives we touch
And we are allowed to hold those pieces for the time we are together
Somehow the pieces seem larger when they are together, perhaps more complete
Those who stay in our lives and in our hearts, fill in the missing pieces of our waning hearts
When we are young, we give pieces freely without reservation and we receive many in return
Our hearts are never empty
As we experience life and love, it can disappoint us and cause us to hold our trust
To hold on to the pieces we have left.
But the more we try hold on, the more we lose, for there are no pieces to fill the void
And if we hold on too long, our hearts, our hopes and dreams will wither and die.
So give love freely, be a child. Do not be afraid of the pain and sorrow
Take the pieces and hold them as long as you can
For, in the end, when all is said and done, it is not only how many pieces you gave that matters
It is how many you received in return.