Outgrown

 Generation gap is never painful without communication gap

Back when I was twenty-three
young, naive, happy, carefree
I fantasized once
having two cute sons

I hoped- to be a good parent;
to know the reasons for their choice;
to run a mile in their shoes,
before ever raising my voice

To feel the shoe bites they had
before I acted
To understand their sides
before I reacted

Alas, no matter how much I tried
no matter how many times I wore
Those shoes of a kid
now fit me no more

As I neared my forties
I couldn’t relate to the kids’ part
the pieces never fit
instead kept falling apart

I saw our bond burn down in flames
as generation gap grew from its smoke
trying to be in their shoes
soon just felt like a joke

Until one day when they cried
with aching pain, I recall they said
“Mom, you never even tried!
look where your parenting led”

It was then that reality hit me hard
generation gap was just an excuse
communication gap was the main reason
that made me outgrow their shoes