The first day of kindergarten, he hurried to the door Shrugging off his mother's
hugs, he didn't need them anymore For he was all grown up now, too big for all
that stuff Instead he waved a quick good-bye, hoping that would be enough
Still he couldn't help but look back, as he hurried through the door Seeing
tears in his mother's eyes, he waved to her once more And then he left her
standing there, with a sad smile upon her face As he ventured onward to a
different world, a new exciting place
And when he came home from school that day, she asked what all he'd done He
handed her a paper, trees upon its front, and a big round yellow sun A picture
quite imperfect, for he'd messed up here and there But she didn't seem to
notice, or she didn't seem to care
The first day of Junior High, he hurried to the door Running from his mother's
hugs, he didn't want them anymore He ignored her calling out to him, as he
hurried down the street Near the intersection, where his friends had planned to
meet
He hoped that she would understand, why he had to walk to school Riding with his
mother, just wouldn't have been cool But somewhere near the crosswalk, he turned
to see her there Standing on the sidewalk, her hand raised up midair
Hastily he coyly waved, then hurried to meet his friends Fighting back the urge,
to turn and wave again And when he came home from school, she asked what all
he'd done He handed her some papers, with X's marked on more than one
The teacher clearly pointing out, the wrong answers here and there But his
mother didn't seem to notice, or she didn't seem to care The first day of senior
high, he hurried out the door Jumped into the driver's seat, of his jacked up
shiny Ford
He left without his breakfast; he left without a word But he turned and looked
back, before pulling from the curb He saw her waving frantically, as he drove
away He tapped his horn just once, to brighten up her day
He saw a smile cross her face, and then he drove from sight Onward to a
different world, a new exciting life Months came and went, and at the end of
every day She would ask about his life, but he had less and less to say
He didn't have the time for talk; she would have to understand He was no longer
a little boy; he'd become a man And at his graduation, as tears shone in her
eyes He knew the time had come, to bid his Mom good-bye
For he was off to college, off to better days No more rules to abide; alone to
find his way
Suitcases filled the trunk, of his dirty beat-up Ford He couldn't wait to get to
school, to checkout his room and dorm She opened up his car door, closed it when
he got in Then smiled proudly at her son, as tears dropped from her chin
She reached through the open window, wished him luck in school And then she
pulled him close to her, and broke the "no hug" rule He felt the freedom greet
him, as he pulled onto interstate At last his life was his alone; he anticipated
fate
But college life deemed more challenging, than he ever could have hoped There
was no time to respond to letters, his mother often wrote He was a grown adult
now, too old for all that stuff His visits during holidays, would have to be
enough
Besides, midterms were quickly coming, the pressure was immense He often studied
late into the night, his need to pass intense And being a man was harder, than
he imagined it would be His future was at stake, and all he longed to be
He wondered how he'd manage, how he'd ever cope What if he failed his tests?
Would there be no hope? As if he had a calling, he headed down the interstate
Driving at full speed, the hour getting late
He pulled up to the curb, where once he used to roam And went through the open
door, of his mother's home She was sitting at the table, with a drawing in a
frame Memories from the past, that brought both joy and pain
She didn't need to ask, why he was home from school Because she knew the answer,
when he broke the "no hug" rule His arms around her tightly, peering at the
drawing he had done Lots of trees, imperfect branches, and a big round yellow
sun
She smiled a knowing smile, and then she spoke aloud "Son you always did, and
you always will, make me very proud For look how far you've traveled, from that
little boy so brave Heading off to kindergarten, your hand up in a wave
And through the years you've made mistakes, but son I've made them too Being
perfect is not an option; you can only do --- the best that you can do And don't
expect more than that, for life is supposed to be fun You've only got one to
live, so you must do what is best for you --- son"
Sitting in his dorm room, when the pressure seems too much And all that he is
striving for, seems completely out of touch He peers at the drawing, of a big
round yellow sun And then he is reminded, of just how far he's come
From childhood to manhood, fighting back many a fear Through trials and
tribulations, holding back many a tear Knowing that being successful, isn't
passing every test And the only way to falter in life, is by failing to do his
best
And the biggest lesson he's learned, one he did not learn in school . . . That
it's okay, for even a man, to break the "no hug" rule
Cheryl Costello-Forshey
costello-forshey@1st.net Copyright 1999
***********
Cheryl is a poet whose work has been published in several of the Chicken Soup
for the Soul books--- A 4th Course, A 5th Portion, Teenage Soul II, Teenage Soul
III, College Soul (in which The "No-Hug" Rule has been published) and, Chicken
Soup for the Parent's Soul as well as the books, Stories for a Teen's Heart,
Stories for a Faithful Heart, and A Pleasant Place. Cheryl also writes
personalized poetry and memorials on a commissioned basis. She is currently
seeking a publisher for her first book of poetry/stories, Heart Impressions.
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