I wrote this last year when my oldest turned 18. I thought the early parenting years were challenging, but this has stretched me into a whole new place and I’m so grateful for the act of writing to help walk me through it.
MY HEART
Living with my heart
Outside my body
That’s what happened
18 years ago
When you came
Into my life
And I took care of that heart
The baby and toddler
The little girl
And bigger girl
The tween and teen
And now the beginnings
Of an adult
And realizing
The separateness
Of your heart
And my own
That it’s not my heart
Living outside my body
It’s yours
Your own
Separate from mine
I want to trust now
That you know how
To take care of
That heart
Your heart
Yourself
To make decisions
That feel good
To you
Right to you
And for me
To watch alongside
To hope for the best
To entrust
Your heart
To you
It’s so hard
When every instinct
Wants to help
To warn
To steer
To advise
To protect
Your beautiful heart
And in some ways
I believe
I can see more clearly
With my years
My experience
My hard earned wisdom
And in other ways
You know better
Know your heart better
Cause it’s yours
And isn’t that what
I most wanted to
Teach you
To show you
To trust your heart
To know your heart
To steer yourself
According to your heart
To honor that
Self knowing
That’s all there is
That’s everything
So now
I need to be here
Alongside
Watching
Hoping
Waiting
Praying
Silently
Silently
Gently
Cheering you on
Letting you know
I’m here
I’m always here
If you need me
My heart
Your heart
You.
❤️❤️❤️