Lessons My Mother Taught Me
By Charles Shea LeMone 5/10/09
Through her every day actions my mother taught me
Lessons I am still learning as I write this poem.
She taught me to wake up with a smile
And end each day with a prayer.
I learned to dream and respect the dreams of others;
When to speak my mind and when to bite my tongue.
She knew how to laugh at a good joke
Even when it was made at her expense;
To be tough at times and compassionate at others;
To not be ashamed to weep and to face my battles, too;
That being right was less important than admitting wrongs,
And that new days bring new rewards and challenges.
Her reading books to me are part of my earliest memories,
And she made those picture book stories come alive;
The lessons and the principles grounded in wisdom,
So I would learn to use reason and logic as tools
To carry me through the trials and tribulations
She knew we all have to accept and face as part of living.
Most importantly, she encouraged me to set goals
As high as my imagination would allow me to go;
And to climb up no matter how often I was knocked down;
To forgive and to love and share and convey sweetness
And that old age and illness are no excuses to forget
To remain young at heart and embrace the love of life.
