advice for a friend

Two wet marks on my white cotton shirt
Two azure eyes leaking salty tears
"Will I ever love again"
You ask

I have been your friend
I have listened to your life fall apart
Time and time again
Watched you crawl out from the shadow of 'her'
Only to be hurt by another 'her'
Tears falling into wine

This time:

You can hide inside yourself
Wrap yourself tightly in pain
It will keep you from new hurt
And keep you from healing the old
You can wind yourself in your heartbreak
Until it circles your droopy neck
But never let it choke you

Then
You can breathe
When the sobs stop wracking your body
When the tears flow to a gentle ebb
When she haunts your dreams and not your life
You can inhale
Feel what it means to live
Enjoy just the air as it flows through you
And realize
What a blessing it still is to be alive

Then
You can feel again
Open up your heart to pain
And when you're ready to hurt again
You will be ready to love
Start with yourself because
Loving 'her' without loving yourself
Is giving away nourishment you're starving for
'She' will be there when you're truly ready
When you understand the value of this gift called life
And the privilege of 'waiting'