Healing is a process
in which one must live
through the pain

Even on the darkest days
they must find a light
to guide them

Healing is a process
in which one must forget
the bad times
and the good times

One must learn from those
mistakes
memories
feelings

You have to hide away
the pain and the guilt

Stuff the memories
and gifts
and pictures
and keepsakes

In a box
under your bed
or in the back of your closet

I pushed away those feelings
and the memories of him
of us
and replaced it with the love from and for
my friends
family
and myself

I will love myself more
than you had ever loved me

I will be strong
for those who are still weak

and when someone brings you up
I'll say

"Oh yeah, I know him. He used to be a friend of mine."

But now he's a memory

Now he's a stranger

From which I must heal.