I still remember when,
the sound of you calling me Daddy
was the sweetest melody
I had ever heard
Bringing light into darkness
your beautiful innocence
shone like a beacon
in a midnight storm
You graduated from tricycle
to bicycle
from training wheels
to solo flight
I still remember
running beside you
holding on,
holding on,
holding on
I still remember
that moment
letting go and knowing
it was out of my hands
letting go
the anguish
of letting go
Don’t fall,
keep your balance,
keep your balance,
don’t fall
And here you are
years later
and here I am
running beside you
don’t fall,
keep your balance
keep your balance,
don’t fall
Copyright © Henri Ferguson 2002
Author notes
I remember so vividly teaching my first daughter how to ride a bike. That precarious moment where I had to let go and trust that she would ride. A moment with not too distant metaphors in life. The practice of letting go is the apprenticeship in the art of non attachment. For me a work in progress.
Written August 18th, 2002
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Beautiful memory
Ah, Henri this poem stirs the leaves of this mother's heart. I have three children and although I myself am all about freedom, I know that at times I can be over-protective (maybe it's the social worker in me and all the things that can happen to children that I have seen in my career). The "letting go" is such an integral part of parenthood to trust them enough to let go and even seen them fall - and as you've pointed out so well "here I am running beside you" - when they grow up and leave the nest, that is still required...to lend a hand and support - and yeah, still sporadically reminding them "don't fall, keep your balance". I read more into the word "balance" here than just keeping the balance on a bicycle...life is all about finding a balance, equilibrium. Such a beautiful memory you've painted here for our eyes to enjoy and how wonderful to see a father writing about his children in this way!
~ Nicolette
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My girls are still so young, but I know this feeling. You start to let go from day one and each day you want to hold tighter. Only the knowledge that you must let them spread their wings and trust that you have instilled all that you possibly can into them allows you to let go. Marvelous.
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Thanks for sending me the link to this Henri.A very beautiful simplistic write that conveys so much emotion and a lifetime of incomparable love ( and heartache ! ).
Happy new year
Hope all is well with you and yours.
~ Sonia ~ XX
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Sometimes letting go is the only thing to do, because if you hold onto something for too long it can become an obsession, no longer holding its once comforting glow, in obsession it becomes hurtful, writhing inside your soul with no plans for letting go, but it is different for each situation.
Letting go of a daughter in the act of her freedom to ride a bike or go to college are to very different things, each with their own aches, but true letting go, as in the sense of sanity or death is not something as lightly given into. When you are at the brink of taking your own life or just giving into your demise it is the spirit of holding on that is needed, but in the sense of addiction or of an experience that has traumatized you, letting go is the best thing you can do, because we cannot live in the past.
It has already come and gone and if you think of it too much and allow it to taint your present and your future what will there be left when the next day or year comes along, just a person lost in times past their control as you can't take a time machine back to replace or fix a broke emotion or event.
All we have is now and the day after and living on is the only thing to do. Life goes on and we must move with it. That is all we can do.
much love,
James
Edited on Dec 18, 9:07 p.m. because ''. -
I think the last two stanzas say it all, though the entire poem is eleoquent as ever. A good parent lets go, but is always beside their child, near in spirit even if phyically far away, and a caring parent is always praying their child will keep their balance in life, will not fall. I am blessed enough to know this to be true, and age makes no difference to love. This has such sweet poignancy. thank you
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and she feels your
goodness
like a shawl about her
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This is wonderful... one never stops being a parent and making sure your children are safe and able to ride thru life on their own... I like your voice in this piece and the snap shot of that memory... lovely write. Helen
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excellent
My parents are very protective. I have yet to feel real freedom to fall on my own with them running beside me. This is a sweet write and I can tell you are an amazing father. Take your time. :)
Angela -
excellent
definitely a work in progress for my mom too;) hah, but at least you try, some parents don't even fight their instincts. good puck with your trials, but never let go too much, eh? us kids just might start to miss you parental types. -
neutral
awwwww cute
i love my daddy
x -
neutral
I love the heartfelt message so painfully expressed. The pain of letting go, something every parent must learn how to do over & over again. I'm pregnant with my first & someday this will be me...learning how to let go & just run alongside her. This is very well done. Really touched me -
don't touch it!
letting go is so difficult at times but when they keep their balance isn't it just the best feeling in the world!
Hugs
Berys -
excellent
smiles... -
don't touch it!
WOW!! this is amazing...I remember this with my girls too :) I love how you put the two together, and yes, it's so true... eventually we have to let go and hope they keep their balance. But, should they fall, we'd always be right there to run to their side and pick them up, dust them off til they're ready to give it another go.......an absolutely fabulous write Henri...love it!!! :) -
don't touch it!
I remember my father saying those words to me. Unfortunetly he pasted away. Fathers are in a special place in childrens hearts. -
don't touch it!
awww very sweet! -
excellent
I don't have children but I can appreciate your feelings...letting go and trusting our loved ones to do fine on their own is very difficult. Well said! -
don't touch it!
This is sweet, I love it...
I think that as long as we have children, regardless of their age, in our hearts we are saying,
Don’t fall,
keep your balance,
keep your balance,
don’t fall
Lovely poem, thank you for sharing...~ Ce -
don't touch it!
Ferguson, this is so wonderfully emotive, :) and honestly i am envious of this type of treasured memory, but from a different perspective i understand, and can relate, to the 'practice of letting go' with my own child.... indeed it is a work in progress.
such a beautiful expression this is.
*smiles
CM
oh... and she answers..... uh huh ;) -
don't touch it!
This was a really sweet poem. Not a lot of fathers have the time for their children. Stay so attentive to your children. -
don't touch it!
Henri, this is truly beautiful! the father-daughter relationship is very special!!!!!! i don't know it, i have boys and my father never spent any time with me.
I know that letting go is very hard....all we can do is be there for them!
love your poem! -
don't touch it!
Perfectly said Ferg .... -
excellent
this is so sweet. :) -
excellent
Awwww this is sweet !!
:)
I wish I had my Dad and those memories but oh well.
Well done Ferg!
-Sarah- -
don't touch it!
The lessons of life .. we'll never truly learn them all .. so much truth in this piece Ferg .. I think it is a work in progress for us all .. and even once we know, it seems almost impossible to completely let go .. I have not a daughter but I understand how hard it is to let go of something we love ..
Thank you for sharing ~ Brian
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