Show me your strength,
But not your rage.
Show me that you care
About all around you.
Show me your goals
And what you’ll do to achieve them.
Make me proud
By developing some self-respect.

I spent a life
Shaping you,
Using every tool that I had,
And failing often.
I never failed to love you,
Or to care,
But judgments are always made by others,
Even when we are hardest on ourselves.
Who can say the quality of my guidance?
I hope it helped.

But the lessons are not yet learned.
Try to remember all that I told you,
And when you fail,
Remember my words,
Which were meant for the ages,
And not just the moment.
You are me,
And I am you.
Throughout all time
We will travel together,
Even when we are apart,
Because as I said,
I am you,
And you are me.

I am intrigued,
About how you will parent.
Will you be like me?
Or will you do it better?
Or just try like me
To break old habits?
Even then, please try
To remember my lessons,
For your offspring will be,
You,
And therefore me,
As I am she,
And all of us will travel
Through the eternities,
Together.

Even when we are apart…