Fight

That would be the first thing I would say

to me at the brinkline of adulthood.

I would stand there, insistent

stubborn and obnoxious

and force my child to fight.

 

That, if I messed up

or insulted her

she would stand strong against me

and not allow me to cast off such

seeming childishness.

 

That he would live his life as he wants to

and I would tell him to live it more

but love

love as recklessly and as hopelessly

as he is capable of.

 

Stay vulnerable

because even if you do not succeed

in all the ways you would like

you will still have given hope

to someone

to people

to help them believe that

there are good people out there.

 

If I had a child

off to college, off to life, off to independence

I would ask rather than tell;

be curious of what I helped create

and listen, learn

accept

 

My father never listened, never helped

and all I do is preach as a result.

Let your child be a person.

You created them

that was your purpose

your job is done…

the rest is up to them.

 

 

 

af

 

 

 

 

(written with pen on paper)