Poem - Alone

I was standing alone,
Me against the world,
Naked and unprotected,
Just trying to survive.

Out of balance,
I was seeking something,
Waiting for the unknown.

Then, out of a crowd,
Came a smile,
A gesture;
A hand offered in friendship,
A friend to be the best.

But, I game had to be played,
With rules that change from day to day;
From person to person.

I stumble, I fall, again and again,
And the hand remains to help me back up,
With the claim of the best still standing.

Yet perceptions sometimes contradict,
But committed I stay,
I give it my all, I gave my heart,
Offered my soul,
Only one path is open,
Forward into the unknown.

No directions,
No experience,
I cling to my friend,
Afraid to let go.

He carries me;
I'd carry him.

Many unspoken words between us,
Many emotions un-shared,
Still I hold on,
Basking in his strength,
But wincing at his rebukes.

It's all for the better.
Life gets complicated sometimes,
But I'm no longer alone.
Or am I?