We met almost twenty years ago.
During all those years we have gone in and out of each other’s lives.
You always seemed to be there for me.
You always seemed to be there to make me laugh;
to be that shoulder to cry on
when the latest guy broke my heart;
to always be a friend.
Just as we were becoming friends, I moved away.
Fifteen hundred miles apart we exchanged cards and letters.
Our friendship became stronger.
Why is it that we don’t know what we have
when it’s right in front of us?
You came to visit me and I still didn’t realize what I had.
One broken heart after another and you were always there to make
me laugh, to be that shoulder to cry on, to be my friend.
More cards and letters and our friendship became even stronger.
I began to realize just what I had in front of me.
You came back to visit again and this time something was different.
I was different—I let my guard down—broken heart after broken heart
I let someone get close to my heart again
and I finally told you how I felt.
Everything that night changed—a line was finally crossed.
I said those three little words for the first time.
You couldn’t return them in the same way I meant them.
But it was your honesty that let me know I was right about you.
You could have told me what I wanted to hear but you didn’t.
I fell for you even harder.
I gave away my heart that night—
That night it found a place to call home.
Time and distance took its toll on us and we didn’t see it through.
I have never said those words again to anyone.
They were always too hard to say.
It never felt right or easy. I couldn’t trust anyone enough with my heart.
I met other people and tried to forget you.
We saw each other again but I couldn’t see you there
because of yet another broken heart.
You tried to make me laugh but it didn’t work.
You tried to recreate our time together but it didn’t work.
By the time I realized what I had in front of me again—it was time for you to leave.
What a waste of time but maybe next time I can make up for lost time.
The next time I saw you was at my wedding.
My wedding—not our wedding.
Time and distance had taken its toll on us.
My last broken heart made me crazy
I put up walls; I could give my body freely
But no one would get close to my heart again!
Our friendship was the one thing that remained intact.
I invited you to my wedding and you accepted.
You drove 1,500 miles, your car broke down, and you almost didn’t make it.
But you did and even though you didn’t think it was the right choice for me
we were friends and you were there to support me.
You hoped I’d be happy.
I wasn’t sure about my choice and I knew I wasn’t sure
when you were the first one I saw as I stepped out on the arm of my father.
He should have been walking me up the aisle to you.
But look at all the people here—family and friends—
some traveled as far as you to be here for me.
I couldn’t disappoint them. I couldn’t hurt the man that loved me.
“If anyone here can show just cause why these two should not be joined,
speak up now or forever hold your peace.”
In my heart I was hoping to hear your voice.
I was hoping you knew what I knew.
That I wasn’t in love—just afraid of being hurt again.
Please say something! Please stop me!
