Taken For Granted

I used to think being available meant I was being a good friend. I answered every call. Returned every text. Made room when there wasn’t any left. Somewhere along the way, my kindness became expectation. My availability became entitlement. And I became… taken for granted. [Verse 1] Phone rings, I’m picking it up on the first, Don’t matter if I’m busy, don’t matter if it hurts. Text comes through, I’m responding right back, Somebody needs something—I’m handling that. Move my appointments, rearrange my day, Carry your problems like they’re mine to save. You need a favor? Brother, I’m there. Need somebody listening? Pull up a chair. I never kept score, that’s not why I gave, Never sent an invoice for the time that I gave. But something gets revealed when the tables turn, When you’re the one drowning, there’s a lesson you learn. I picked up the phone… nobody answered. Sent out the text… nothing came after. And that silence said something I didn’t wanna hear: You loved my availability more than you wanted me near. [Pre-Chorus] I was always there, so you thought I’d always be. Maybe I made it too easy to take pieces of me. And I’m tired… God, I’m tired… Of setting myself on fire just to keep everybody warm. [Chorus] I’ve been taken for granted, ’cause I always came through. Dropped everything I was doing to make room for you. Never needed you to owe me, never asked you to repay. I just thought when I needed somebody, you might show up the same way. Now I’m learning my time isn’t something you demand. My heart isn’t public property, my life isn’t in your hands. I still love you, but I’m finally understanding: Being needed ain’t being valued… I’m done being taken for granted. [Verse 2 — Building] There’s a difference between relationship and trade, Between somebody who loves you and the deals that get made. If I’m only important for what I provide, That’s not really friendship— that’s a transaction in disguise. Transactions? I can find those anywhere. Don’t call me family if you’re only there When you need the fixer, the answer, the late-night call, The “don’t worry, I got you” when your world starts to fall. But who’s my fixer when I’m coming apart? Who says “I got you” when the weight hits my heart? Maybe nobody knew. Because every time I was drowning, I still answered you. [Break — Spoken] Damn. Maybe that’s it. Maybe I taught everybody how to treat me. [Verse 3 — Intimate] Every immediate answer. Every cancelled plan. Every time I said, “Don’t worry about it, man.” Every boundary I moved because somebody had a need. Every yes I gave away while something inside screamed… No. I taught people that my time didn’t cost anything. But time costs something more expensive than money. Life. Every hour I hand somebody is an hour I never get back. So maybe this isn’t about what everybody took. Maybe it’s finally about what I stop giving away. [Bridge — Spoken into Build] I’m not angry. I’m exhausted. There’s a difference. And I’m not building walls because I hate people. I’m building doors because I finally understand: Not everybody deserves a key. Access isn’t automatic. Trust isn’t automatic. My time isn’t automatic. Some things… have to be earned. [Final Chorus — Full Cinematic] I won’t be taken for granted just because I come through. I won’t keep abandoning myself to prove that I love you. You don’t owe me for my kindness, I don’t regret what I gave. But I’m done measuring my value by how many people I save. My time is my life, now I finally understand. And access to that life isn’t something you demand. I’ll still give. I’ll still love. That’s who I choose to be. But earned access means you’ve gotta care about me… not just what you get from me. [Outro — Piano Only] I used to think being available made me valuable. Now I know better. The people who value me won’t require me to always be available. I’m not shutting people out. I’m just not handing everybody a key anymore. My time is my life. And I’m finally saving some of it… for me.