You Stayed Anyway

I kept one foot out the door

Just in case you did the same

Spent so long expecting goodbye

I forgot some people stay

Yeah…

You met me in the middle of a war I couldn’t end

Heart held together by scars and loose threads

I was looking for the catch in every word you said

Certain every “forever” had an expiration date

I pushed, you pulled closer

I ran, you stood still

I gave you every reason

Most people would’ve dipped

But every time I braced myself

For another empty frame

I turned around and there you were

Looking at me the same

I don’t know if you realize

What your presence really did

You healed parts of me I thought

Were too damaged to be fixed

You saw every crack in the glass

Every shadow from my past

Every wall, every defense

Every reason not to last

I kept waiting for goodbye

Like the others came before

But you never packed your bags

Never headed for the door

You knew I wasn’t easy

Knew my heart came with the pain

You saw all the reasons to leave…

And you stayed anyway

There were nights I made it hard

When my fears got in the way

Turning little things to battles

Just to see if you would stay

Not because I wanted distance

Not because I didn’t care

I just spent too many years

Watching love disappear

You kept choosing us on days

When I couldn’t choose myself

Held my hand through every storm

When I was somebody else

And I know that ain’t easy

Lord knows I put you through it

Still somehow you never left

Even when I thought you’d do it

I don’t know if you realize

What your loyalty became

You taught a heart prepared for loss

How to trust again

You saw every crack in the glass

Every shadow from my past

Every wall, every defense

Every reason not to last

I kept waiting for goodbye

Like the others came before

But you never packed your bags

Never headed for the door

You knew I wasn’t easy

Knew my heart came with the pain

You saw all the reasons to leave…

And you stayed anyway

Maybe love ain’t finding perfect

Maybe love is choosing scars

Maybe love is seeing darkness

And still reaching for the heart

Maybe love is waking up

And choosing me again

Even after everything…

You saw every crack in the glass

Every shadow from my past

Every wall, every defense

Every reason not to last

I kept waiting for goodbye

But it never really came

‘Cause the girl I prayed I’d find

Looked at all my damage

Looked me in the eyes

And stayed anyway

For the first time in my life…

I stopped waiting for you to leave.