I had friends once

I had friends once,

They cared enough,

Or at least they acted like they did.

They were there through all the seasons of my life,

Never missing a birthday.

We shared everything,

Talked about everything,

But that was back when I had everything.

I had friends once,

Back when my parents carried my burdens,

Back when I didn’t have to worry,

Back when I had a name,

When I was someone,

When I was something.

I had friends once,

But they disappeared when life grew heavy.

They vanished when my problems multiplied,

Fading like morning dew under the sun.

They left when I had nothing to offer,

When I needed more than late-night parties

And empty laughs over fleeting trends.

They disappeared when I began to see

That life was more than fashion, more than the surface.

I had friends once,

But were they truly friends?

Were they there for me,

Or for the shallow things I thought mattered?

If their care was tied to what I had,

Was it ever real?

Was it ever meaningful?

I had friends, once.

I had everything.

I had everyone.

But it seems everything and everyone walk hand in hand,

Lose one, and the other is quick to follow.

It hurts to realize:

For some, your worth is measured

By what you can give,

By what you can offer.

Being yourself is never enough.

But if, by some miracle,

You stumble upon a bond that sees your soul,

That asks for nothing but you,

That stands steady when life crumbles,

Hold on.

Treasure it.

For such relationships are rare,

A grace, a miracle.

Take it from me, for

I had friends……. Once