You don't know what pain is...

You don't know what pain is...

You don't know what pain is,
Until it leaves stains on your face.
And everything you do,
Feels like an unwinnable race...

You don't know what pain is,
Until you're screaming at the top of your lungs,
Not because hurts that bad,
But because you're completely drained of all other emotional funds...

You don't know what pain is,
Until it's raging through every part of your being,
While you're trying to work and pretend everything is better than it seems...

You don't know what pain is,
Until the day you finally give up,
Hoping it might one day end...

You don't know what pain is,
Until there's no one left to talk to.
When you're even tired of listening to yourself.

You don't know what pain is,
Until you find yourself afraid,
To even venture out into life,
Cautious of the comfort of being brave...

You don't know what pain is,
Until it's cost you countless hours of sleep you'll never get back.
Until every waking hour is spent,
Worrying about the next attack...

You don't know what pain is,
Until you've found yourself counting every pill.
Stretching them out as far as you can, knowing it still won't be enough.
Hoping that if you kill yourself enough,
It'll just make you tougher,
Because you can't tell the doc it hurts more than you can describe,
In case he decides to take back what little he's been willing to prescribe.

You don't know what pain is,
Until the doctors tell you they haven't got a clue.
Until the day they tell you,
There's absolutely nothing they can do.

You don't know what pain is,
Until every new doctor you see,
Tells you that you're just a drug addict,
And if you'd just lose weight you'd see you're really fine.
That if you just stop doing everything you love,
You'll just barely be able to survive.

You don't know what pain is,
Until you feel bad just for being in pain.
When you can't talk about anything else, yet can't possibly talk about it again.

You don't know what pain is,
Until you finally convince a new boss to give you a chance,
And then around every corner,
He tells you to try harder,
To be faster,
To take better care of yourself.

You don't know what pain is,
Until that day you realize you've given up.
And then when you drum up the will to try again,
Everyone treats you as if you're some adult child who can't seem to do the simplest things.
Can't dress right,
Can't see what's right under your nose.
Can't remember directions,
Even the ones that everyone seems to know.

You don't know what pain is,
Until it's kept you up all night,
Just so you can get right up again,
To spend all day in an endless fight.

If you find yourself questioning,
Someone who says their in pain,
You don't know what pain is,
Until you've walked in their place.

if you find yourself wondering,
How they could hurt so much when they look to be just fine,
You don't know what real pain is,
Until you've had to dance that line.

Until you've felt what real pain is,
Until you've almost lost your mind.
Until you've mustered up every last ounce of hope you couldn't find,
Don't question anyone else's state,
Don't even let it cross your mind.

Just offer a hand,
Because they'll never ask.
But never force your help,
Or make them feel like an ass.
Your simple understanding,
Is the only thing they need.
A smile, a hand, a shoulder,
Should never require a plea.

Show them their is strength in vulnerability.
That it's okay to take a rest.
That life is an eclectic dance,
Not some messed up litmus test m

Show them you don't think any less of them, when they finally ask you for what they really need.
That you won't run away,
Even after seeing their darkest of hours.
That even after the brightest of days,
We all need a few dreary showers...