If You Can Remember
If you can remember that it takes three of my steps to equal one of yours;
If you can understand that I must view life at an eye level three feet below yours;
If you can touch my life with your faith, without taking away my need for self-determination;
Then I can grow, learn and become.
~ ~ ~
If you can remember that it takes time for me to gain the experience in living you have already had;
If you can understand that I can only relate to those things which have meaning on my levels of maturity;
If you can let me take a step of independence when I can, instead of thrusting me out or pulling me back;
If you can touch my life with your hope, without destroying my sense of reality;
Then I can grow, learn and become.
~ ~ ~
If you can remember that it takes courage for me to try again after failure, just like you;
If you can let me find my own path when I want, instead of choosing for me the way you think I should go;
If you can touch my life with your love, without taking away the space I need to breath;
Then I can grow, learn and become.
-Marti King
for the Montessori Foundation
2 comments:
Beautiful and timely poem for me, too, Katie. I notice that the last two lines of each stanza still ring true for my "big kids". The whole poem gave me a few minutes to walk in your shoes, imagining that the burdens of fatigue, exasperation, and repetitiveness might have been lifted by these kind words.
Now that we have crested the most recent developmental hill in our house, we're getting the sweet stuff of "look what I can do!" from both kids, and I am motivated to pray that you experience the same sweet joy with your girls right now.
I love you all, but I'm particularly partial to the shortest three. ;)
Thanks for sharing, it's good to remember!
--holly
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