The Future

They say, "The children are our future."
And I fear that this is true.
But faced with a task so daunting,
Just what is a parent to do?

There are days I barely hold on
Worried I cannot cope.
I pray for strength and guidance.
I long for words of hope.

Someone forgot to warn me
That children needed more
Than someone who could teach them
To count from one to four.

They also need love and wisdom,
A firm and guiding hand.
They need someone to pick them up
And show them how to stand.

Life is full of lessons
That we all need to learn.
And this is one diploma
That is not easy to earn.

But if "The children are our future"
What is a parent to do?
Face the lessons, come what may
Because their future rests with you.


Help! There’s a Teenager in My House

Help! There’s a teenager in my house.
I think I’m going crazy.
He’s moody, he’s cranky,
He’s a slob and he’s so lazy.

If he would only
Do as he was told,
Life would be so easy
If he would fit into my mold.

Yes, I try to control him
But what I say is right.
If he would only listen
We would not argue, fuss or fight.

I listened to my parents,
And I turned out okay.
I did as I was told.
At least, I remember it that way.

But….for my father there were times
His wisdom he would impart.
And I do remember thinking
He really wasn’t very smart.

And as I look back
On the wisdom that I’ve earned,
It mostly came from the many
Lessons I have learned.

So maybe I should give him space
And not worry about his hair.
For I want him to remember me
As a father who did care.


    Divorce

Divorce should be between you and me.
The children should never fear
That we cannot control our anger.
Let's make this point more clear.

So often the children are the victims
Of all our grief and strife.
Let's work together to protect them
And cherish these precious lives.

It is much more difficult
To put our hate aside.
But to do so is an indication
Of what we're truly like inside.

A measure of a person's worth
Cannot be viewed as gold.
But in the way the childrens' lives
Do flower and unfold.


I Need Freedom From Your Fears

I know that you were terrified
And always lived in fear.
Even as a child
You always kept me near.

I never was allowed to
Go too far to play.
You were always worried
That I would go away and stay.

You were afraid of thunder,
Of lightning, and of rain.
To you these things of nature
Only represented pain.

For years I accepted
All your fears and all your doubts.
Until all this ancient baggage
Became too heavy to carry about.

When I finally decided
I should live my own life,
It began years of anger,
Struggle and much strife.

To live a life
Full of anger and despair,
Leads the soul to sickness.
I don’t think this is fair.

So if you really love me
You will need to let me go.
I need freedom from your fears.
This I surely know.


--ST


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