i care too much.

i care too freely.

i care more than others generally do, and end up getting myself mistreated.

but it's worth it, because even people who don't care need to be loved. maybe i'll be the only one who ever cares enough to care about them past their lack of reciprocating the act.

maybe my caring is all that keeps them from completely shutting off.

maybe your caring is all that keeps someone from shutting off.

thing is, people almost never fully grasp what they're doing, and what the aftershocks will mean.

that boy is fifth grade who said you were fat and had bad teeth didn't understand how badly that would hurt you, and how you would never forget.

that stranger who smiled at you on that one, very dark day didn't know that he was all that stood between you and a blade.

those girls who left you out didn't understand how they were breaking you up inside, and i promise, if they had felt at that moment what you did, they would have involved you.

because we are all human, and so sickeningly unaware of effects.

we don't understand why we need trees. why we shouldn't 'jokingly' insult our people. why we should give others a good turn as often as possible.

i think, as a whole, mankind needs to think. we need to care.

so don't ever apologize for caring, even if someone says you care too much. you don't.

maybe you're just not caring in the right places.

~anne