A Letter To Our Daughter

If we can tell you what fear is,

But not what to fear.

If we can buy open land for you to run,

Than build a house with luxury. 

If we can cancel meetings,

To make it for your dance in the rain.

If we can show you the good in the world,

But caution you of the bad,

And then let you experience both,

Trusting you to make the right choice.

If we can let you get hurt,

But be there when you are in pain.

If we can let you love and lose,

And then make you believe in love again.

If we can judge you and your choices,

But restrain ourselves from interfering.

If we can just let you be.

If we can not burden you with our own expectations,

But let you chase your own dreams.

If we can learn from your experiences,

And be friends with your friends.

If we can provide all the comfort,

But not let you take it for granted.

If we can give you a hundred reasons to be there for us when we grow old,

But not to expect you to be.

If we can show you the beauty of creating two homes,

And not just care about us when you are married.

If we can not bind you in traditions,

But make you understand their fragrance. 

If we can grieve with you at a loss,

But instill the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

If we can provide you with everything you want,

But remind you to earn it.

If we can buy you new shoes,

But remind you of a man with no feet.

If we can make you believe in your destiny

And the lines on your palms,

Yet show you that even those without hands have a future.

If we can be your friends,

Yet maintain the distance,

If we can earn your respect and affection,

Than demand it.

If we can be all of this and more,

We hope you will enjoy life,

And not just succeed.

We hope you will remember, we tried,

At being good parents, 

And may be you will be a proud daughter.

Why Was The Road Not Taken?

It was one of those late evenings,
When you are tired of the concrete around,
The hollowness of towering skylines.
When you sign out of electronic availability and go to the woods,
The same woods, which throughout childhood had remained lovely, dark and deep.

I wondered whether Dear Robert had thought it through,
Or felt, just as I do, about the road not taken.
Whether taking the one less travelled by was important because it was courageous?
Or because it made him successful?
Or because he just enjoyed being different?
Of all the picture he painted, I wondered if he had succeeded in being successful,
Yet lonely, because of the road he chose.
For only a few took it.

Then what of love? Of relationships? Of family?
The warmth of a conversation with a friend,
The comfort of a hug after a rough day.
Is it so important to take the road less travelled by?
Is it truly success, when all you can do is buy things you don't need, to impress people you don't like?
Are the promises really worth being kept, if there are none to care?
Why go miles before you can sleep, if a dance in the rain can bring you back to life?

May be the road less travelled by, was grassy and wanted wear for a reason.
May be the difference it made, wasn't enough for most people.
May be it isn't so important to be so different,
Fly high above all, achieve every season,
May be it is important to just see the woods,
Lovely, dark and deep,
Tread the road often travelled by,
Without the promises,
The need to succeed.