Crying it Out

I've never cried it out
Oh sure, there've been some moments
in the arms of those who loved me
when the tears have come
and it almost might have happened
but I've never cried it out

Life's longer and shorter than I planned
and no one ever let me know
there's a better way to handle things
than blindly seeing them through
And there's often tightness in my chest
but I never cried it out

If it seems to you there's distance in me
that you'll never understand
then know it caught me by surprise
this rising tide of helplessness
when everyone I know needs help
but I never cried it out

And I recognize these feelings often now
they might show progress of a sort
this sudden welling up of pain
that slides out of my eyes
but I'm afraid of things like this
and just can't cry it out

Trying to change a life not good enough
by the standards that I set
with all those years of struggling
my way, the only way I could
I find myself without a thing to teach
except the need to cry it out

I need to hold you each and all these days
and maybe you feel much the same
but we'll have to do the best we can
'cause I haven't learned it yet
and don't have much to offer you
but my hope you'll cry it out

Life isn't meant to be begun again
and I wouldn't want to anyway
but I wish I'd put my arms around you
each of you and all of you
and told you yeah, it's been okay
and held you while you cried it out