My Child - A Mother's Fears

                                        I fear the day that your

                                      Heart will turn against me,

In anger, coldness and condescension;

And yet I fear more that you

Will have good reason and I

Be the main cause for these feelings.

I fear that someday your thoughts

Will be your own and

Clash and contradict mine,

And yet I fear more that your thoughts

Will mirror mine with no

Thoughts of your own.

I fear that you will gleefully

Walk away from me,

Independently mature,

And yet I fear more that you will

Not walk on your own and that

You will maintain your childish

Dependence long after you should.

I fear that no matter how I prepare myself

You will break my heart

When you leave,

And yet I fear more that you won't

Because I've become hard and

Bitter at your desires.

I fear that no matter how I say

'My identity is not in you' that

Your leaving will leave me empty,

And yet I fear more that I will use

The sadness to control and manipulate you to stay.

And yet,

There is One who is greater than

All my fears

And He says, 'Fear Not'.