You're Enough

Okay, let’s talk.

I know you’re mad

I can see it on your face.

Your teacher sent home

A note for your mother and I

And this is the third one this month.

Look...

Your feelings, they’re big

I get that

But you can’t let them get

So big

They cast a shadow on everything else

Your grades are good

Your behavior is good

Everything is good

But, to you, it isn’t good enough

You pound your fist

Grit your teeth

Mumble, sigh, huff

Every time you make the smallest of mistakes.

A pebble rolling downhill becomes

An avalanche.

It does more harm than the pebble

Ever could.

You focus so steadfast on what’s wrong,

You can’t see the proud young man

That we see!

I get it; I’ve been there

And your mother?

She was worse.

But we have to make a deal…

I will let you get as mad as you want to be

Pound your fist, grit your teeth

But when it is all said and done

You have to see the good in you

That we see.

You are my son; you’re mine

When you hurt yourself,

You’re hurting something I love.

When you’re hard on yourself,

You’re putting down something

That I joyfully lift up.

I’m not going to tell you

You can’t feel these things,

But I need you to know that

However disappointed you may be in yourself,

It falls embarrassingly short of

How proud of you I am.

Hate yourself if you must

But when you’re done

I need you to love you

Like I love you.

I need you to see yourself

As the amazing son that we see.

Because I will not hate you.

I will not spite you.

I will not shame you.

And I will never be as disappointed in you

As you are in yourself.

Feel what you have to feel.

Because when you are done

Come back to me

And I’ll tell you all the ways

You make me proud.

You're enough.

You need to know that.