Reign

The following anonymous quotation is one of my favorite - ever! I had a plaque of it up in Molly's nursery and currently have it framed and hung as well. It just sums up being a parent so well. Given that Mother's Day was a few days ago, this was on my mind.

Children are like kites...
You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you're both breathless.
They crash.They hit the rooftop.
You patch and comfort, adjust and teach them.
Finally they are airborne...
They need more string and you keep letting it out.
But with each twist of the ball of twine,
there is a sadness that goes with joy.
The kite becomes more distant,
and you know it won't be long
before that beautiful creature
will snap the lifeline that binds you two together
and will soar
as it is meant to soar,
free and alone.
Only then do you know that you did your job. "

Below is my poem for this week's prompt for reign at OSI

Just a minute ago-
a little girl holding my hand
looking for approval ...
Now I watch
as my daughter's life unfolds -
And I am often reminded
that
she
is not
me
She is so much more confident
and stronger than I was (am?)
My passions
are not her passions
and that's ok
as long as she has passions.
Her way through Life
will be different than mine.

It's so hard
to let her grow (go?)
and watch her
make her own choices
and mistakes
and get hurt
without trying to reign her in
and take care of the problems for her.
She has to become
Herself- whoever that is to be
and learn to trust herself.

And I need to take a Leap of Faith
and know I did the best I could
to raise her
and to make sure she knows
that she is loved
unconditionally
always and forever
as I watch her
unfurl
and shake out her wings
to fly...
to soar, actually
into the Life
that she is meant to have

for Molly, who I am honored to be the Mother of....