being a parent
is probably the most selfless act imaginable
there are a lot of ****** parents
who decide to check out early
mothers who play house
and stay home and cook and clean and make
lunches for their kids like a good little housewife
pretending to be happy
pretending their marriage is
functional
until all the pretending starts to be too much
and the bottom falls through

then divorce
then choosing
then triangulation
then "please don't tell your dad" because they choose
the lifestyle of a good liar
over one of a good parent

if i was an only child perhaps it wouldn't be
so hard
but there's still
karate lessons,
life lessons and growing pains
and when one parent takes on the job of
two parents and doesn't run away
from that struggle, from that truth
well that is the most selfless thing there is

i hear young people say
"i don't ever want children. I hate children."
and I laugh because sometimes
**** happens
and you have to make a choice
but there are a lot of ****** parents
who had ****** parents
and the legacy continues

but perhaps accidents like that
are a blessing in disguise
if you choose to put yourself aside for one minute
to be selfless enough
to change
for the sake of the being you chose to
bring into this frightening world.