I’m sorry, he said

I need you to know this, how deeply sorry I am.

and he told her the truth.

All of it.

The beautiful and ugly, he told her the human truth and he set her free.

I did you wrong on top of wrong.

I’m so sorry.

I turned away from you, when I needed to step above it and be your man.

A man.

I needed to see beyond but I chose to see both our shortcomings in a blind light.

My heart hurt and I let it drive me more than my ability to love.

I neglected you. I didn’t see through your eyes, or feel through your skin.

I saw your tears and did nothing.

I felt them, oh, I felt them.

But I let their existence continue.

You’re a good woman, with a good heart.

Please tell me what I can do.

What did you need from me that I shortchanged you?

Please let me listen, now.

I want to you to tell me, the way I always wanted you tell me.

Let me feel through your skin, the desire, the passion, the fear, the sorrow.

Let me be, here, for you, now.

Completely.

Let me fill you with the tender affection, open and centered attention that you needed then.

Let me listen with a man’s heart. With my beautiful heart.

The heart that you cared for so deeply still lives.

Please let me redeem myself. Tell me how it hurt you to hurt me.

I want to know the pain you felt, so I can somehow, in some way, mend it.

I am here in full heart.