I put on my rose-colored lens

The day I met him

 

When the “I love you’s” and “You’re my everything’s”

Were clouds covering a dark storm

 

I felt the soft touches on my back, the warm kisses on my cheek

I didn’t feel the shoves, the names, the seemingly temporary pain of his words

 

He hurt me, but he healed me

Slapped me across the face, but kissed it to make it better

 

And for months I fell for it

My rose-colored lens covering words of advice from those who I should’ve trusted the most

 

Until one day, the pain became overbearing

It bled right through all the bandages he used to cover it

 

I ended it all, even though it felt like I was ripping part of my heart out

I sobbed into my pillow and looked up with the lights blurring my tears

 

Wondering when all of the pain would end.

 

And now, to this day, I now know what “because I love you” means

 

It’s not getting so jealous that you scream at them that their yours

And expecting them to give up their life all for you

 

It’s loving them and supporting them for their own accomplishments

And saying “go have fun” when they’re with their friends

 

It’s not telling them to dress nice for you

But calling them a slut when other boys are around to see it

 

It’s telling them they’re oh so beautiful in that dress

And holding their hand because you’re so proud to be their person

 

It’s not pushing them past their limits

Because you think you know what they want

 

It’s letting them set their own boundaries

And respecting their values as if they’re your own

 

It’s not screaming and yelling until you run out of insults to say

Then kissing their tears away and saying you’re sorry you’ve hurt them

 

It’s looking at their tears with pure heartbreak

And saving the anger for those that caused them

 

It’s not possessiveness, hatefulness, competition

Or trying to see who can hurt the other worse

 

It’s loving each other despite your differences

And believing with all your heart

 

That with every second you spend with them

You’re becoming a better person

 

That they will do anything

To make you happy

 

That you’re completely safe with them

Physically and emotionally

 

And it’s knowing that everything they do

Is because they love you.