a second chance at love

I had always thought love wasn’t meant for me
— Until he came along

I had built walls of hatred and grief
And shut my heart out to loving again.

Each time I reached out to love,
I lost a part of me
Till all left were fragments and shadows of who I was.

And then he came and loved those pieces
Ironically, I felt whole in his presence.
Love with him felt different
Each breath I took with him
Exhaled all the hate bottled up in me
And his love seeped in.

But…

The fear of loving again keeps holding me back
What-ifs keeps ringing in my head
A part of me wants to let go
Another wants to hold on.

Should I take this leap of faith
And give love another chance?