I Can’t Be Everything for Everyone

Life’s full of people needing things from you,

Sometimes it’s supplying true interest in them,

Sometimes it’s comforting words when they’re lonely.

Life’s full of you needing things from people,

Sometimes it’s gifting advice to halt your mind,

Sometimes it’s holding you during a breakdown.

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Being needed is a nice feeling,

You’re useful for something real,

Helping someone with their life,

What a nice distraction from your own.

Needing is not such a nice feeling,

You’re dependent on someone else,

Receiving is just taking,

When it’s due to a lack of your own.

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Materialistic or untouchable value,

Everyone has different thresholds of need,

Both giving of and receiving,

Some focus on one pitcher —

Draining the other side.

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I love someone who was always giving,

She gave every moment to someone else,

I watched her serve everyone all the time,

But sometimes there’s nothing left to give.

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It caused me to selfishly cling to time,

Moreso giving energy for no return,

From physically to mentally,

Particular with who surrounds me.

And yet as I’ve grown older,

I’ve added people to my list.

But I can’t create more of me,

So how can I keep up with it?

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Where’s the line?

From:

Being a caring, charitable, useful, person

And:

Being a spineless, impoverished, foolish, shell?

Every belief system draws the line somewhere,

At some point you cross over to uncharted terrain,

Before or after depleting what’s available?

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Most humans realize they need others,

For logistical and emotional support,

Humans are meant to exist together,

Safety has always been in numbers.

But is there a certain fit to it?

Possibly:

You must find those who need

What you can give

And will give you

What you need.

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Brittan began writing poetry in June 2020. She uses poetry as a therapeutic exercise when revisiting homophobic traumatic memories and describing life with BPD & Bipolar 2. She uses poetry as a medium for self-expression when discussing Buddhism, lesbianism, and platonic love.