PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I am grateful for advice I received from my parents

when, into new parenthood I was immersed…

That behind every child who believes in themself

is a parent who believed in them first

May we be blessed as parents…

to let our children know we will be there

from the beginning…to the finish

We will be there to believe in each of our children

even those times when their belief in themselves diminish.

I am grateful for understanding parental math…

although I’m sure my elementary teachers 

would think my math misguided…

How the love for each of our children, 

grandchildren

and great grandchildren 

can be whole…

no matter how many times it is divided.

I wish we understood how we are everybody’s child from the moment of our birth…

and eventually everybody’s parent…who is born upon this Earth…

Even as we become everybody’s parent…as all adults eventually do…

It’s the nature of being human that we will always be everybody’s child too.

As everybody’s parent we are meant to help keep the promise

all parents make when they hold their baby in their arms:

to love them unconditionally…to keep them safe from harm.

But we haven’t kept our promise…have we?

when anyone from our human family…any daughter…any son

is senselessly shot and killed…at the hands of someone with a gun.

And we continually break our promise..to our daughters and our sons…

when we fail to stop the next child from being killed

at the hands of someone with a gun..

As parents to every human child in our family…not just a select few…

when we let one die without trying to help…a part of us dies too.

After failing our children for too long…

our original promise we must revive…

and do everything within our power to keep our children alive

Yes, It’s time to come together…to fulfill the promise

we made that first time we held them in our arms…

to love them unconditionally…to keep them safe from harm.

Because if we don’t fulfill our promise

to keep our children free from harm…

today just might be the last time

we hold them in our arms.

When their daughter’s dream was shattered…when she thought her life was through… 

she ran to her parents…crying…saying she didn’t know what to do.

They embraced her and immediately knew exactly what to say…

They will tell her just because one dream has broken

not to throw her other dreams away.

They will tell her sometimes hearts get broken…they’re not made of steel…

but with a little love and time…a broken heart can heal.

They will tell her it’s true…this dream is broken…and as bad as this day seems

she is still a dreamer…and she will dream another dream.

They will tell her they will be there to hold her….whenever a dream comes true…

and if a dream should fail…they’ll be there to hold her too.

They will tell her to let herself be sad…that sometimes life’s not fair…

but know once her heart begins to heal..she’ll find a new dream waiting there..

Yes, these are all things they will tell her…for they know exactly what to say…

but these are words for another time, another moment…another day.

For they know this moment is not meant for words…

and they know exactly why….

They know sometimes all a daughter needs is a hug

and some shoulders on which to cry.

\When I think about the way I was created…every part of my body is enchanted…

from those parts I rely on every day…to those I take for granted.

Take my shoulders for instance..there was a time when I was young

and I looked in the mirror…at my shoulders I would scoff.

thinking their only use in life is to keep my arms and head from falling off.

It wasn’t until years later…when I became a Dad

I began to fully realize the importance my shoulders had.

Yes, once I had children it didn’t take me very long 

to realize why my shoulders were there…and why they needed to be strong. 

When my children were small and innocent…when life was so brand new

they would ride upon my shoulders to get a better view.

When they were ready to be on their own…as their life unfurled….

I was glad I had shoulders for them to stand on 

as they stepped into the world.

One important thing my children taught me…that helped me as a parent gel…

is that my shoulders not only needed to be strong…but needed to be soft as well.

Strong so they can lean on them whenever they’re filled with dread

and soft when they need comfort and a place to lay their head.

As long as I am living I hope my children (and grandchildren) will be aware 

when and if they ever need them…my shoulders will be there.

These days when I think about my shoulders I no longer scoff…

I no longer think their only purpose in life 

is to keep my arms and head from falling off.

No, these days when I look in the mirror…I am instantly elated…

because I now know exactly whey my shoulders were created.

Today I’m grateful for my parents…

For this simple genetical reason why…

If my parents didn’t have any children

there’s a good chance…neither would have I

Every parent thinks their babies are beautiful

as they watch them play during the day 

or sleep throughout the night. 

and with a little encouragement from Mother Nature…

they know that they are right.

Why else would the sun send down a ray of light

all the way from outer space…

a single beam who’s only mission

is to highlight the beauty of their child’s face?

Why else when they walk by a garden with their baby 

do the flowers stand up a little straighter…

The sunflower, the daffodil…the rose….

and why else would a lady bug rest upon their child’s shoulder

or a butterfly land upon their nose?

Why else would rabbits who normally when they see people coming

run away like crooks…

stop and stand on their hind legs…just to have a look.

Why else would the trees offer their children shade…

if they did not detect…

there is beauty in this child it is their duty to protect.

And why else while in their beds asleep…

In the darkness of the night…

would the moon shine through their windows

offering them a natural night light?

Yes, I know each parent will say…

“My babies are beautiful and will always be beautiful to me”

But isn’t also nice to know that the sun, the moon, the rabbits

the ladybugs and the butterflies agree.

Most of my morning walks begin in silence…it’s just me and thoughts I turn into words.

but for a week, now, when I reach a particular tree I’m greeted by the song of a mockingbird.

Her song, which I like to think she’s singing just for me, is melodious and sweet…

and as I pass she flies in front of me and continues singing from a tree across the street.

So…for about a week every morning as I leisurely walk along…

I’ve stopped between these two trees so I can listen to her song.

As I listen to one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard

I think of how we human parents are similar to the parents of the mockingbird.

How we were there when our children were born (or hatched) to hear their initial cries…

How we knew them before they discovered how to sing…before they leaned to fly.

I wonder…do we each hold on to images…memories to which we cling…

of times before our children learned to fly…before they learned to sing?

And every day do we both feel proud we played a part in the songs our children sing…

that we were there to encourage them…when it came time to spread their wings? 

I wonder…do mockingbird parents get old and gray…

If they cold turn their thoughts into words…

would they be able to express how they feel when their children visit

and bring grand baby birds?

Perhaps one morning as I watch this mockingbird spread her wings…

I’ll have the chance to meet her parents…and as we pause and listen to their child sing.

we’ll share stories and memories of moments…that have long ago gone by

of a time before our children learned to sing…

before they learned to fly.