An open heart goes both ways
It has to learn both to give and to receive
The toughest part for some of us
Is wearing any emotion on our sleeve
A stoic front has its purpose
It shields us from prying eyes
It keeps us at a distance from certain sorrow
Our best friend becomes a clever disguise
But when we hide our true self too long
We lose our ability to understand
In an attempt to keep our heart safe from scrutiny
We give up empathy to stay in command
We cannot always be the one in control
Sometimes we have to let our hearts crack
When we allow the smallest peek into our lives
We give permission to accept love back
Do not be afraid to open the door
It is in showing our frailty that we grow strong
For we gather courage from the love of others
And that love gives our heart a place to belong
Donna Cavanagh - MyVeryOwnFan.com