I Loved You Enough
Someday. . .
when my children are old enough
to understand the logic that motivates parents. . .
I will tell them:
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to ask where you were going,
with whom,
and what time you would be home.
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to insist that you save your money
and buy a bike for yourself
even though we could afford
to buy one for you.
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to be silent
and let you discover
that your new best friend was a creep.
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to make you take a Milky Way back to the drugstore
(with a bite out of it)
and tell the clerk,
"I stole this yesterday and I want to pay for it."
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to stand over you for two hours
while you cleaned your room,
a job that would have taken fifteen minutes.
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to let you see anger, disappointment and tears
in my eyes.
Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to let you assume the responsibility
for your actions
even when the penalties were so harsh
they almost broke my heart.
But, most of all,
I LOVED YOU ENOUGH. . .
to say, "NO"
when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all.
I'm glad I won them,
because, in the end, you won, too.
~ Erma Bombeck