Strong willed
Unique and proud of it
A go getter; doer
Riding the waves
Against the grain
Head always above water
Eyes and smile changing the mood of any room
Skilled
Determined
Innocent
Hard at times
Challenging
Demanding
Defensive
Defender
Perseverance
Not trusting
How could you?
All privacy and boundaries violated
It never stopped you
Just confusing
Hardening even more
The gatekeeper of the little version of you
The protector
What a huge responsibility for a teenager
Who else could do it?
Who else understood the struggle?
So courageous
No nonsense
The love is there
It is selfish
It needed to be
For you and baby Tam
What an awesome spirit you are
I see you
I feel your pain
I hear your cries
The anger runs deeply
Ticking time bomb
Ready for action
Even when that action takes place internally
Sacrificing yourself to shelter little Tam
You are an important part of me
I want to thank you
Nothing was your fault
And it was not your responsibility
You stepped up to the plate because of your love
I look up to you
I cherish you
I am sad for you
You are so brave
And have endured so much
Those days are over
You get to be a teenager
Dreaming
Wishing
Developing your own identity
You get to do that through me
The adult version of us
I am giving you space to explore
What you want
Who you want to be
How you want to move in the world
Having a choice on all things
A voice
Opportunities
I am here to let you rest and enjoy it
I support you
I believe in you
And I love you so much
Thank you for helping us get here
Tamara P.