We accept the love we think, is love
What was modelled to us as we grew
What we have decided for ourselves is worth pursuing
What feels right in the moment, and not the moment after
What we justify, day after day, week after week.

We draw lines, erase them
Make compromises, get stronger boundaries
And over again
Until our realities become unavoidable
Until we need to make better decisions.

And we don’t leave because we’re terrified
Terrified that right now, this person, this relationship
Is as good as it gets.

We lose pieces of ourselves to the compromises we make
Only later do we realize they were not compromises
They were gifts
Here, take this piece of me, without anything in return
Until the most important pieces were gone.