I am not sick. I am not dying. Something happens though, when you find yourself faced with the responsibility of parenthood. You tend to acknowledge your own mortality. I was never afraid to fly. I flew a lot for work. I flew a lot for fun. Then I had a son and the first time I flew after my boy was born, I was terrified. “What happens if the plane crashes?! I will miss out on so much, and he needs me!!” The second time I flew after he was born, I wrote those feelings down in this pseudo- poem.

Oh Little one, you’re on your way into this world

And I’m on my way out

Life can be awful cruel at times, of that

there is no doubt

I won’t be there to give you all the things

A daddy should provide

So I’ll leave you with some words

In hopes they’ll help you navigate the tides

Some of these words are mine

And some are those of others

But the one’s you’ll need to know right off

Are ‘Listen to your mother’.

A wise man once said,

“To thine own self be true”

Because there will be times in life

When your only friend is you

You’ll make mistakes, but that’s okay

Mistakes are life’s great teacher.

And if you don’t meet your goal at first

Keep trying ’til you reach her.

To find the key to happiness

Doesn’t take a great detective

The answer to those secrets

All lie in your perspective

For some the sunset means

Another day is dead and gone

For others it simply means

The night has just begun

It’s all in how you see it son

I guess I was wrong when I said

Words were all I had to give

For you’ll have a guardian angel protecting you

For as long as you shall live.