As a child,
I thought parenting was
finger painting,
peanut butter sandwiches,
bedtime stories.

As a teen,
I thought parenting was
curfews,
Thanksgiving dinner,
driving lessons.

As a new mother
I thought parenting was
wonder,
fear,
connection.

Sitting with my 91 year old father,
I realize parenting is
a road through the forest —
beauty, peace, adventure
married with
doubt, waywardness, loss.

A road
I would traverse
again and again
with love.

inspired by Carlos Andres Gomez’s “Father”.