For My Children...


I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes
and homemade ice cream
and leftover meat loaf sandwiches, I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated,
and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed
and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you
a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born
and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother.
And it's all right if you have to draw a line
down the middle of the room,
but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you
because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie
and your little brother wants to tag along,
I hope you'll let him.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends
and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride,
I hope you don't ask your driver
to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen
riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot,
I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers,
I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends
when you have your first crush on a girl,

And when you talk back to your mother
that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain,
burn your hand on a stove,
and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once,
but I hope you don't like it.
And if a friend offers you dope or a joint,
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa
and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you
when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window
and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time
when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you~tough times and disappointment,
hard work and happiness.
To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Witten with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. I'll go to heaven and wait for you.
Author~Paul Harvey

This page was designed by me...Leah

June 25, 2001

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