Our Children...

[Daddieo]

I look at them...

...Our children

Separate and strong

And with more power against us 

Than any God...

 

The conflict is...

That we compare them...

To each other

...and to ourselves

 

But they are separate

...They are not the same

They are not us...

And...

They are not ours...

 

We transfer to them

All that we wished for ourselves

So it is we...

That are bound to them

En route to ourselves

 

Let's let them be...

Less like we are

And more like themselves...

Then...maybe

That will set us all free

From trying to be different

Than we are...

 

"A Step Problem" by Merrit Malloy

...from the book "Things I Meant To Say To You When We Were Old"

(photo of my daughter BrieAnna)

 

[Mandy Muffin]

I am empathetic with the poem as my kids are now becoming middle age adults.  I did what I could as a parent but let go when I had to.  It was hard as they made mistakes (in my opinion).  But they have a right to their own decisions and outcomes. 

[ozzieowl]

How very beautiful - your words and your daughter Daddieo,

I feel I am friends with my eldest daughter now, 

although my youngest lass still views me as an authoritarian figure.

I feel we cannot be good friends in the growing years with our children,

as there is so much to learn, and sometimes it is the hard way.

But what a deep and abiding joy it is when our children themselves

become parents of their own children and it is within this special space

that we can be viewed as equals.

My `baby' taken recently who has a 21 year old son and a 12 year old son -

she is such a wonderful Mom!