The silence surrounds me.
The tranquility envelopes me.
The serenity enchants me.
This is where I am free,
Able to be me,
Without any pretense.

I used to be you,
Turning his darkness into light.
I used to be the only one,
Who could make everything alright.

I used to hear the words,
He now says to you.
All the promises made,
Every single one untrue.

I used to be the one he'd call
When he had a bad day.
Endless hours spent on the phone,
Even if there was nothing left to say.

I used to be the believer,
That our love could never end.
Now, I'm the one lost and alone,
Trying to find my way again.

I was the one with a broken heart,
When it wasn't meant to be.
I used to be you.
But now...you are me.

She adjusts her veil,
smoothes her white dress of lace.
Touches up her makeup,
hiding the bruises upon her face.

He drinks all day;
barely ever makes it home.
She has someone who calls her "Mama,"
But she has never felt so alone.

The little girl hides under the table,
her tiny hands covering her ears.
Blocking out the angry screams,
and all the fighting that she hears.

Each slap gets harder,  
etched into her soul,
Mama wants to leave,
but where would they go.

Every hideous word uttered,
more stinging than the last.
What did I do to deserve this torment,
her Mama dares herself to ask.

One day it's too late,
her mama dies by Daddy's hand.
Soon the sirens fade;
the little girl never sees him again.

Mama's little girl grows up thinking,
this is how love is supposed to be.
She finds a man like Daddy,
and soon, history repeats.

First he called her ugly names,
his true colors began to show.
His words she believed,
because what other way did she know.

Mama's little girl,
now has a baby of her own,
A blue-eyed little girl,
to follow in her footsteps when she's grown.

Angry slaps, another curse.
His fist goes through the wall.
The little girl stares in horror,
"Mama, this isn't love at all."

Another fight and shameful bruises,
each word uglier and louder than before.
The pieces of her heart, jagged and torn,
she vows to fix her broken soul.

The girl packs their bags,
running away in the murky night.
She hugs her own little girl close,
as they drive out of sight.

Houses fade in the rearview mirror,
she tosses memories into the wind.
Makes God a promise,
no one will ever hurt Mama's little girl again.

There are days I give more of myself than I should.  Days where I am tired of giving my best to people...even though I don't get their best.  Days where loving someone is difficult...yet good-byes become too easy.   Days I regret making people a priority...when I was only an option. There are days I want to give up competing for first place in someone's life...and always ending up in second place.  Days where I settle for less...even when I know I deserve so much more.  Days where "I'm sorry," is no longer enough...and your actions prove what your words don't say.  There are days I feel too much...and days I feel too little.  Days I push people away...to see who cares enough to push back.  And there are days I regret opening my heart...to people who didn't give a **** about me.
But...these are also the days that taught me who I am.  The days where I learned...I get a little stronger.  Days where I learned...I am my biggest supporter...and strongest advocate.  The days where I learned the only one responsible for my happiness...is myself. Days where I learned to value who I am, where I've been, and where I'm going.  Days I learned to appreciate the time I spend alone....and with others.  These are the days I learned to count on myself.  

Most importantly~these are the days...I learned to love myself more.

Searching for the key to unlock the chains around my heart.
I found it in the last place expected...
You had it all along.