And a Happy New Year to you all. I was thinking how I could start off a new decade on my blog. I then thought that a picture is worth a thousand words, and what better way to paint a picture with words than with a poem. I wrote this poem long before my daughter was born, and I believe that this poem still describes my vision of parenting and what I want for all children. I hope you will take a look and listen deep inside.

And without further ado…

Inquisitively approaching his mother the child asks,

“Mommy, where did I come from?”

Nervously searching for an explanation that would satisfy the child,

She questions herself and her memories of old.

She envisions the gangly bird carrying the child and remembers…

How foolish she felt so few years later

That she had believed her parents,

And questioned why such a story had been manufactured.

What purpose did this tale serve to engender trust and understanding

In the mind of The Child?

For The Child would only discover,

As she and many others had before her,

That it was just a story created to quiet The Inquisitive Child,

Not to answer the question.

A tale that hides the invisible embarrassment and flush of feelings,

Sending the message that the truth is better not discussed,

When it is shrouded in emotion,

But left to discover through other less informed sources,

Often in a hostile environment of Ignorance and Mistrust.

Innocent as the creation of this tale was,

Its intention was to soothe The Unquiet Child.

But The Unquiet Child often lay inside the parent,

While The Inquisitive Child stands before them.

The story of the bird spread through the land,

Bringing a sense of relief to those who searched for easy answers.

But isn’t it The Child,

Who searches for truth and trust?

Who was requesting the easy answer?

Many a child has erected a formidable tower of blocks,

Only to learn the harsh lessons of gravity.

She continued to question her own understanding of her creation.

She recognized the union of the two in creating the one,

But also recognized her deeper sense of unrest inside,

That questioned and searched for more beyond the veil of the body.

As she looked into The Child’s eyes,

She saw the glimmer of wonder in his eyes

That had been extinguished in hers long ago

By many easy answers

That doused the flame of wonder and fascination.

She then recognized the awesome power she held before her.

For she could continue to fan the flame glimmering in his eye,

Or extinguish it with careless breaths.

But to continue to let the inner flame burn

May make him an outcast in a world without fire.

If we were all brought to this world carrying the flame,

It may not have been meant to be extinguished.

She recognizes it is not her decision to make for this child,

For he is his alive and has his own voice.

As her thoughts settled down in the blink of an eye,

The answer seemed to come from a sparking ember within.

With her rekindled sense of awareness she replied,

“You came to us from a bond of love.

Beyond that I do not know,

But I will look forward to the day when you can tell me the answer,

Because I know it lies within.”

September, 1995