Our Circle of Support

We came together -- yet all apart,
With hesitant manner and trembling heart;
Our doubts were immense -- what could we gain,
Wrapped up in our separate shrouds of pain?

No one could know, all of our loss;
What all this hurt, for us, had cost.
We couldn't trust -- didn't dare believe,
That acceptance was possible to achieve.

With heavy hearts, heads bowed in shame,
We knew that others would point in blame.
Our hidden secrets, our means to cope --
Understanding of this -- too much to hope.

Did we dare believe? Did we dare accept?
In the past it had been easier to reject.
Could it be that we weren't all alone,
No longer aliens -- that we'd found a home?

With tentative step, we fought our fear
And a miracle started to happen here --
Ourselves reflected in other's eyes,
We slowly lowered our crippling disguise.

Was it possible it was as it seemed?
So we peeked out, hoped and then we dreamed.
Was it true -- our hearts rejoicingly sang 'yes'.
We touched other souls and we were blessed.

We threw away barriers and tossed the shame
And with our sharing, the trusting came.
We lifted our heads and looked around,
Astounded at the acceptance we had found.

Kindred souls, understanding and acceptance true;
Nonjudgmental, loving and supportive too;
Sensitive and caring, and so much more;
Nurturing, giving, with great rapport.

So trust grew, we risked, we searched as we could,
And grew like we never thought we would.
No longer disbelievers, with trembling souls --
We did what we must to help us grow.

We can't go back; we've changed within
And we're starting to believe that we can win.
Our Circle of Support, I'm sure you knew,
Asked nothing from you but you be you.