Courage To Draw The Line

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A loving heart must still be wise,
And sometimes love means cutting ties.
To care for others, start within—
Boundaries guard where we begin.

 

Good fences make good neighbors still,
And saying “no” is not ill will.
We build respect when we are clear—
Good boundaries keep the closeness near.

 

We’re taught to put all others first,
But self-neglect can be the worst.
Resentment soon will cloud our view
If we forget our needs are true.

 

To prove we’re kind, or good, or fair,
We lose ourselves in false repair.
And when the Now shouts loud and wild,
The Next is left a weeping child.

 

We often don’t know what to say—
But there’s a kind, clear-hearted way:
“This helps me care for you and me,
Unless you see a plan more free?”

 

We fear we’ll lose what we hold dear,
So boundaries fade beneath our fear.
Yet what we cling to tight, we break—
Love thrives when we allow a stake.

 

We meddle in another’s life,
Mistaking care for needless strife.
But when we tend to our own ground,
That’s where true love and peace are found.

 

We need the skills—request, decline—
To draw our needs in gentle lines.
To show respect, not wage control,
And keep connection as the goal.

 

Good fences make good neighbors still,
And saying “no” is not ill will.
We build respect when we are clear—
Good boundaries keep the closeness near.

 

So if you seek a love that lasts,

Don’t let your own needs be surpassed.

To give the best of you, be sure

Your boundaries hold—and love stays pure.