I have been there
Where you are
It’s probably hard to believe
But I have

I bet you thought
You were the only one
Who had discovered
This desolate place
This arid ground

I have been there
Not long ago
And when I was there
I was like you
I thought I was
The only one
To have found my way
To this strange
And frightful place

I have been there
Where you are
I understand the loneliness
The hopelessness
The powerlessness
The pain
And the sorrow
Of this almost inhabitable ground

Yet I persisted
Even when I thought
I couldn’t any more
Somehow I convinced myself
To carry on
Because the alternative
Was even worse

And I’m here
To sing my song
To let you know
That you will survive
You will finally find your way out
Of this land
This quagmire
This deep valley of misery
This arena of trials

I have been there
Where you are
And I hope
I can convince you
To persevere
To tolerate the pain
Of being lost

Because one day
The light will shine
And whether it’s through
The help of a friend
Or a loved one
Whether by new insight
Whether by the healing medicine
Offered you
Or steps you take
To find your way out
You will leave this dejected place
And you will bring with you
Some wisdom
An unexpected gift of insight

And you will learn
Not to hate that place
Because struggling and pain
Are part of life
And our teachers
Should we choose
To ponder the mysteries of life