Enough (Poem)

There comes a time
When you realize
That you'll never be enough
For someone you love
With all your heart

That you will always fall short
Of their expectations
Disappointing them
Hurting them repeatedly
Despite giving your all

That you will not
Be able to show them
The depth of your love
And how much of yourself
You continue to give
For their happiness

That you will always be
At the receiving end of
If you loved me
You would know this
You would do that

And you will repeatedly
Fail the test of love
Earning the punishment of
The silent treatment
The cold shoulder

And you will quietly accept it
Because you start to believe
In your insufficiency
Believing that you deserve it
That it's all your fault

If only you could try harder
If only you could be better
You would be able to fix it
So you keep trying
You keep pushing

But nothing you do is enough

And one day your pain
Crosses its threshold
You finally decide that
Enough is enough
This is not how
It's meant to be

You say - I am enough
Just as I am
My love is enough
As invisible as it may be
It does not come with
Terms and conditions

It comes with acceptance
Of who I am
And the person I love
So I stop fighting
I stop chasing
I gently let it go

I find an inner strength
And a reservoir of peace
That allows me to carry on
With calm acceptance
And love in my heart