It Only Hurts When You Don’t Try

It only hurts when you give up too soon. When you leave without saying everything you wanted to say. When you walk away without any warnings, without a proper goodbye and without a good reason.

It only hurts when you know that you were capable of giving and doing so much more but you chose not to. It only hurts when you know you purposely half-loved someone because you were scared.

It only hurts when you don’t give it a real chance, when you don’t try to be present, forgiving, caring and kind. When you take things away too soon just because you don’t know what the future holds. It only hurts when you don’t do enough to keep that person and when you let them slip away.

It only hurts when you let your ego or your pride get the best of you. It only hurts when you play games and try to be someone else or follow a bunch of absurd rules to appear more attractive.

It only hurts when you start thinking about everything that could go wrong and all the reasons why you should leave and dismiss your feelings, your heart and your emotions. It only hurts when you keep using your mind to protect yourself because it will always tell you to walk away. It will never understand how love works.

It only hurts when you don’t make enough effort to be a part of someone’s life, listen to them, learn more about them and try to accept them for who they are. It only hurts when you try to change them and turn them into someone else.

It only hurts when you know that you weren’t there for them when they needed you. When you didn’t show up for them the way you show up for others. When you repeatedly made them feel like they’re not important to you just so you can have the ‘upper hand.’

It only hurts when you make them feel your absence instead of your presence. When you let them hear your silence instead of your words and when you let them feel your distance instead of holding them close.

It only hurts when you don’t really try because all the parts you suppressed will eventually remind you that you caged them in instead of setting them free. They will always feel helpless and frustrated because you didn’t put them to good use. They will never forgive you for taking away their right to exist.