Not Holding On Alone

When You Can’t Love

Enduring, at some point,
stops being a virtue
and becomes a red warning light.
A heart that slips deep into a darkening wood
may not find its way back.

Love hasn’t vanished—
it’s the heart, and the strength,
that wore out first.

A horse that’s been running too long
can’t stop in time
and finds itself already at the river’s edge.

Being a step too late
is not cruelty,
but the sound of a limit drawing a line.
And when prayer no longer feels like comfort,
faith has not left.

Please, don’t keep gasping for breath.
Instead of forcing more endurance,
pause—just for a moment.
Close your eyes and say,
“This is not the time to run.”

When you cannot love,
don’t try to relight a burnt-out candle.
Don’t strain to love again.
Wave a white handkerchief
and ask for help.

Not holding on alone—
that is where healing begins.
Where the heart can rest
on a still lake,
and at last,
release the small bird
it has been holding inside.

*these are my own paintings *