Member-only story
Mental Health Month
For Those Who Give Too Much
A prayer, a poem, a surrender-for the givers
Like a single broken light — once meant to glow —
but now broken from shining too bright,
Some efforts go unseen, untouched, unanswered.
Some of what we give is never noticed.
Some things don’t shine back the way you hoped.
Nevertheless, Lord teach me —
To not expect too much from people,
To know that not everyone is extra
and gives their all like me,
To know when — and at what — to stop…
and to know when I should not try and be extra.
But…
Because I know that my middle name
is extra,
Teach me to accept the outcome
of receiving back the bare minimum
after I give it my sweat and blood.
Teach me to be ok with that,
or at least, to learn how to handle
the disappointment.
Teach me how to live with myself…
and the fruits of being me—
both the good and the bad.
