I Am
I am a human
I wonder what I'll be when I grow up.
I hear talking.
I see words in my book.
I want to get strait As on all grades.
I pretend I have a lot of wishes.
I believe in myself.
I touch my desk.
I feel well.
I worry about nothing.
I cry for being hurt badly.
I understand people.
I love my family.
I am - a human.
This is the poem my third grade son wrote at school. The first two words were provided so he just needed to fill the rest. When his teacher gave this to me at Parents and Teachers' conference, I cried. It was embarrassing and I am sure I was not the only parent who cried over the child's poem in front of her but- I just couldn't help it.
When I read the part" I believe in myself" was the beginning. Then " I worry about nothing" "I understand people" and "I love my family".
As parents, we do not get visible things in return very often and we always wonder if we are doing an okay job or failing in some parts but this was one of the moments when I realized that we were doing at least some things right to have him write this. I know, it's simple things and he probably didn't mean anything deep. But now I know he has enough confidence in him to say he believe in himself. He has hopes- he worries about nothing. He understands people around him. And he loves his family. Maybe I am more sensitive because I am pregnant.
But it really gave me courage and strength to carry on. No matter what happens in the future and no matter how mean I appear to him, (well, mean is my middle name anyway) I hope he always come back to this poem and remember how he felt.
I love it!! What a great poem and so deep. You are a great mother.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great poem. You have such a great boy..you are doing a super job. It's nice to get that little pat on the back once in a while!
ReplyDeleteYo and Cathy- Thank you for the comment. You know, this has such a big meaning to me especially because it comes from a child who once said " I wish I wasn't born in this family". That time I cried also because I was just devastated. I didn't know what to do. But like Chieko Okazaki was saying, "staying put when friends offend you" holds true with parenting! I just have to remind myself often that "they will change..." You know what I mean. It's such a long journey...
ReplyDeletei cried at this poem so much! last term, the teacher had given me a story kienna wrote about seeing an angel as a little girl. a "woman in white" who touched the side of our van when it would start. she had prayed. and then she saw a woman come and help us. she was in the van at the time, i was out side, frustrated., i was praying. the kids were inside the hot van, arguing. i had had enough. i opened the door and told them to knock it off and stop their arguing. if they really wanted to help they needed to petition the lord for His help. anyway - after the van started, she asked me who the woman was that came to help and why didn't i thank her. i told her no woman came. i didn't know hoe the van started. it just did. she said, "mommy - the woman in a white dress -- she came up next to you and reached her hand on the engine. and then the van started." i cried. anyway - she was only about 3 when it happened. i didn't know she remembered it because we happened to never really discuss it again. then it came up at parent teacher moment. i never felt so proud of her... kids do amaze us, dont they???
ReplyDeleteEmmaP-What a story. I knew I wasn't the only one who cried at the poem that the child wrote at parent teacher conference but you had a spiritual experience to go with it. And maybe it was also when you were having the hardest time... I kept thinking about your comment throughout the day- it is such a good reminder that someone DOES watch over us always. If you feel comfortable and up to it, maybe you can blog about it and share? Well, it could be really personal anyway. Thank you so much for sharing the story with me. Appreciate it.
ReplyDeletewhat a touching tribute to you and Sten as parents!! I can't wait to have a moment like that!!
ReplyDeleteThat really was a powerful piece! So cool!
ReplyDeleteKanaboke- Yes! Although, he just giggled when he read it... I guess men don't have those emotional moments as much as women do. Hmm..
ReplyDeleteSevenVillageIdiarts- Hi my friend, I would like to be invited to your blog! I cannot read your exciting and fun stories anymore and I am sad..