The misconception is that those who birth us are our parents
They are not
They are escorts through life
They cannot know what you need
They are caretakers, awkwardly fumbling as best they can

Parent yourself

Release them from your preconceived notions
They were parenting themselves, which you could not know

Parent yourself

This is not ego, which is demanding, and ultimately judgmental
This is true self-care
If someone else suffers or is inconvenienced, that is ego
Self-care is kind and generous
It is quiet, stealthy

It’s a secret mission

This poem was written exactly as Cheryl received it late in the evening on January 16, 2021
It arrived without fanfare, much like many other messages over the past 20 years. You can also visit another related story that includes music from 2004 called “Silent Messages“.