05/17/2019

To my child,
I can promise that you will never fall
if you stay on the ground.
but as a parent-
as your guide- that is not my job-
to keep you on the ground.
My job is to teach you how to get UP when that climb defeats you. -
As a parent, I want her to be safe-
I want her to never experience pain-
Even though I know that she will-
I HAVE to find some comfort knowing that the pain is what teaches the empathy. -
I remember being in middle school on the bathroom floor praying for the pain to go away.
But FEELING that pain has brought to to where I am today.
The pain is what taught me that courage is a practice.
The pain is the reason I fight through the discomfort of making that phone call or writing that letter-
-
As a parent (and as a human) I am quite sure this lesson is one that will constantly be in my face, yelling at the top of its’ lungs for me to ‘freakin’ LEARN it already!’ -
When I see her approach a group of children on the playground,
I silently whisper to myself, “please let her play with you- please please please.”
When I see her sprint to her father after he walks into the door, exhausted from work-
I pray that his tired body can match her excitement so she won’t feel disappointment. -
But I bite my tongue,
I shift my thoughts b/c if I show her to avoid the pain and shield her from it-
Then what?
-
I can’t run away when the pain gets too much-
Not if I want to show her where the magic happens-
Where the pain-
has allowed the beauty of courage,
of empathy and of
resilience to shine through.