Friendship is supposed to be beautiful—
Yet it’s tangled in brambles:
Gossip blooms with thorns,
And winter frost creeps in
Through distances of place or passion.

Marriage is supposed to be beautiful—
But true love’s kiss can burn.
The story fades, the credits stall,
And though the bond holds fast,
Life hurls its storms without mercy.

Family is supposed to be beautiful—
Yet *unconditional* is a fragile myth.
Parents stumble, children stray,
Roots fracture beneath the weight,
And hearts bruise in silent growing.

Love is supposed to be beautiful—
And it is, in its fullest bloom.
But the scars we gather in learning
Are heavy,
Though in time, they blossom too.