(for my daughter Madison I wrote this while standing over her crib when she was two years old )


Embrace

the world with

Baby steps,


a million

things in life

will become.

turtle shells

like your

opinion on

things and
people you
come to love,


and they

will only fit

for a

time.

be flexible

watch for

the changes.

in love

and life.


don't get

caught on

your back

little turtle.


remember

licorice

comes in

more than

one flavor.


take

the time

to make

up your

mind.


and then

hold on

as tight

as you can.


first love

is meant to

be pulled

over your

dreams and

be a perfect

fit,


and not

cover your

eyes so

that you

cannot see.


let the

world

always know

that your

there.


and love

is to

be always

given first

without

expectation

and grown.



and tended to

like a garden

our garden,


that you

have been

to us


from the first

day that

you were

born.