Expectations

Parents place different expectations on their children.  My parents did.  My beloved and I do.  Some expectations are frankly weird.  They have nothing to do with the particular children, but everything to do with the fears of the particular parent.  Our children learn from us.  We learn from our children.  It goes both ways.  I am still learning.  God grant me the ability to continue on this path.  God grant my daughter the same.

Less than forty years ago

I was in her place,

The last one to send

To college.

The expectation was

I would not attend college

In-state.

An odd thing, now,

I think.

Heck

It was even odd

Then.

I want her to go

To a surprising unknown place,

Learn things in categories

Of her own.

I want her

To spread her wings

In blue and clouded skies:

Learn the updrafts

Learn the downdrafts.

Still

The language of birds

Is mine.

She will speak

In her own categories,

Her own language,

As she always has.

She may even attend a school

Close to home.