Eating That Elephant

My son is raising butterflies. He got 6 caterpillars in a little cup and we have been watching them eat and grow.

I really think I might end up being an interfering grandmother one of these days, despite the best of intentions. I was watching those caterpillars and expecting them to be right on schedule and starting to harp when they weren’t. My son kept saying, “Mom, they will get there when they are ready. Stop worrying about it.” Of course, he was right. We now have 6 little chrysali

This poem is dedicated to Dawn and parents of unique children everywhere.

I see you
Trying so hard
Doubting yourself

Stressed and tired yet,
Never giving up
One step at a time

Strength you don’t know
giving and kind
I see it

I want to reach out
Take away some pain
Tell you I know, I do

It’s gonna be hard
Loneliness and fear
I see that

Yet I know you’ll get through
I know you can do this
Your love WILL suffice

I know hope
I know love and strength
I know you

Reject what’s not true
Trust in what you know
Believe in yourself

I see you
You are fine
Just as you are

I make my lists, I wear my mask
I go out in the world
I’ve got it all together
As far as you can tell

I make my little rules
They keep me on my game
What is when and who is who
Is stored right in my purse

“You’re doing great!”
That is what you see
“You’re on top of everything”
If only you really knew

I organize compulsively
But can’t remember where
Aha! I find what I need
But where did those hours go?

Today I burned the eggs
But anyone can do that
Trouble was I didn’t even know
What that popping sound could be?

Sometimes I lose what day it is
Just for a few moments
I reach inside my head
And there’s a blank spot there

I knew it 10 minutes ago
I had known it on “Friday”
And “Saturday” and “Sunday”
But “Monday” slipped away

My mind races around the space
Yesterday is gone as well
Try “Wednesday” on for size
But it just doesn’t fit

Mask askew, I run out the door
Wondering what people will think
And what I’ve left behind
Or why am I this way?

Maybe this is normal
Perhaps everyone does this
But until I really know
I’ll keep the mask in place

Copyright 2007, Lisa Stroyan

Hey are any of you watching “Moms On the Road: Africa”? It’s a reality show on the Travel channel where 8 moms who have never been outside the US travel to Africa. If so, Amy W is my friend from the UU church. Talk about a life change. She went to Africa for 7 weeks, came out of the closet on national TV (and probably even more of an impact, in a long interview in a local paper), went from homeschooling her 3 girls to having them in full-time charter school, split from her DH, has an apartment, etc….see if you can catch the show.