Never Again

I have spent a great deal of my adult life looking for love. And as the song says, in all the wrong places. The men I met were needy and I was sure I could make their lives better and fix everything that was wrong. I expended a tremendous amount of energy doing this. At the same time I was ignoring what was in need of repair in my life.
I have learned that you cannot fix anyone else. This is something they must be motivated to do on their own. You can be there to support and love them through difficult times, but, as much as you want to, you cannot make it "all better".
I also learned that I was looking for the other half of me. What I did not realize is that each of us is a complete person just the way we are. We are all beautiful, talented, and loveable for who we are. That fact escaped me for a long time. Now I understand that what I needed was a partner in life. Someone to share all of it, good and bad. I am fortunate enough to have found that.
Don't waste your time on someone who is not willing to work on their problems and is expecting you to do it all. It just isn't possible. As much as it may hurt that is a definite signal to move on. This short poem is an expression of the knowledge I FINALLY gained (boy it took a long time). But then again , anything worth having is worth waiting for.

Never, Ever
Never again will I feel unloved.
Never again will I feel hopeless
I tried to win your love,
I always lost.
All I felt was tired and sad.
Never again will thoughts of you trouble me.
Now I can surrender myself
to someone who understands.
I can feel hopeful, energetic, and loved.