TEACH THEM YOUNG
My mom and grandma always told me that I reminded them of my Grandpa Bud. I’ve always enjoyed hearing that, but I was also concerned that the alcoholic part of my grandfather was inside of me. Despite his flaws, his thirst for cold Coors, he loved to read, to clip out clever comics and satire, and listen to Dodger games on the radio with family. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and I want to help my sons appreciate the man he was and not repeat the mistakes that he, and I, have made. My family often quoted his parenting philosophy, often spoken with a touch irony: “You teach them to walk and talk, then you teach them to sit down and shut up.”
This haiku is dedicated to my grandparents, my parents, and to my three sons.