You will never know how I feel, unless...

Unless you have been so desperate for love, that you would give up your dreams, your hopes, and much of yourself to get it, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have sacrificed an education, adventure, a career (or two) and hope, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have spent the better part of your adult life living for everyone else but yourself, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have had your heart ripped out and stomped on, and then handed back to you by those you love the most, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have been hurt in your deepest soul, and forced a smile, you will never know how I feel.

Unless it's been so long since you've lived for yourself you've forgotten what you like, how to have fun, what sincere laughter is, what joy feels like, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have been depressed, suicidal, so anxious you felt like you'd explode, and on so much medication to remedy these things that you wonder if you even have real feelings anymore, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have overcome the odds to become a part of a profession of honor, and done everything it takes to perform that profession with honor, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have been hated because of what you represent, spit on, beaten, kicked, cursed, covered in every imaginable disgusting substance, seen, smelled, touched, and dealt with things no human should have to, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have seen death, smelled death, and caused death, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you realize that everyone can be hurt by words as well as deeds, no matter how tough they seem, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have learned that the problems in everyone's life are relative in size to that individual, you will never know how I feel.

Unless you have the stones to put something like this out there for the whole world to see, and to form their own opinions of you and what you think, you will never know how I feel.

Then again, how I feel may not be any of your business.