Dear best friend: A letter about relationship abuse
to my best friend,
when we were in sixth grade you were my role model
i had never met anyone like you
you helped me coordinate my outfits
complete my math homework
and gave me a friend to turn to always
you were invincible
but one day that changed
i regret being blind to the pain he brought you
i let his "I love you's" and your laughter serve as a blindfold
it was only taken off when you came to me teary eyed
the truth of you two pouring out of your mouth like a rapid waterfall
that i was drowning in and with every word
i could feel the water taking up the room in my lungs
until nothing but my frail hand was sticking up out of the rivers
but see, sadness does not solve anything
let my hand be the one who rips you out of your own river
let me drink the water until it is shallow enough for you to stand in
because you will get back up
you will be okay
no matter the amount of blood every wound heals
i will sit beside you patiently as you learn to appreciate love again
when the time comes, we will rip the baindaid off together
there is life beyond the abuse you have sustained
i want to show you it
-dns