SmellsLikeTeenSpirit

~#~ A Lesson Learned ~#~




I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
"Oh, excuse me please", was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too,
I wasn't even watching for you."

We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.



Later that day, while I cooked the night's meal,
My young son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Get out of the way," I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
A still small voice came to me and said...



"When dealing with strangers, courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look there on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers by the door.

Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself - pink, yellow and blue.
He stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in his eyes."



By this time, I felt very small
And then my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed,
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."



I said, "Son, I'm sorry how I acted today,
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
You know I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue."