#12 Stages of Parenthood. Observed

courtesy: Krisztián Hoffer

Krisztián Hoffer

Krisztián Hoffercou

Krisztián Hoffer

It is difficult to parent…

You are given these little creatures.

New.

Bundled up.

Your point of reference,

your own past

and the parents you had

bad or good...

as well as these reference books

pages still smelling new

that seemed to be authored by

someone who had the perfect childhood...

and seems quite opinionated 
on what it should be too.
Its surreal how much

you love these little humans.
Yours for a lifetime.

They have you lovers ears,

your smile.

Their first steps towards you...

your joy.

You are trying to do

what you understand as your best

but you are making mistakes,

and as they grow older

you realize that those mistakes

aren’t being missed…

by those eyes that have lost their

fondness for your quirky jokes

and have begun to see that you are not a hero

but a human, 
blatantly faulted.

Your every word becomes recorded

then replayed

making you sound like a dictator

or just 
plain 
retarded.

Their moods are as unsteady

as the trade winds

their silence cause you more hurt

than you ever thought your heart

could hold in…
and that fact isn't

any less true because you don’t

like to admit it.

You’re wiser now

and they in turn have aged;

to a place where they can at least

understand those mistakes you made

were a part of your own lack

of knowledge about what to do

when

trying and failing 
to control individuals

who were so different from you…
yet despairingly similar
You know who they got 
that mean streak from... 

but now its been years since

you’ve been their only personal guide

you’ve given them 
the better years of your life

and it seems they’ve turned out alright...
that is

for adults raised by your hand.
Makes you nostalgic

they’re all pretty stable

and at this point
pretty stable is pretty good

for all the times
you had to make do,
but now you're privileged 
to be able at long last
to sort through the old memories 
while making space for the new. 

There are new tiny faces

that they’ve brought you to meet

with these tiny little fists
 frustrated little grimaces...
soft skin  
awkward little feet .
 You know immediately

 you'll spoil them

through shocked reprimands of

"You'd never let me get away with that"

but these miracles 

 they'll grow up

and without even knowing exact

revenge

absolving your miserable moments

with those who were before them;

this is indeed

the icing on your cake

of contentment... 

  but in this moment

right now

they are the most perfect beings

you have ever touched. 

 They've got your lovers ears, and your smile 
and it feels fantastic,
though you are tired and
have been for quite some time,
you'll find more life to live

just to become acquainted with

 these new persons...

who have your lovers ears,

and your smile.

It feels fantastic.

You've been given a gift

not many have been provided.

To be able to leave

having seen all the variations

of your greatest accomplishments.     

My Inspiration: Parenting 

© KohylahPiper 2015