by Mike Hall

As I await your upcoming birth,
I am anxious about your life on this Earth.
The world to which you are coming
Is full of strife, upheaval, and conflict.
I need to be honest and forthcoming;
The next few years will be hard to predict.
But I promise to be there every day,
To guide you each step of the way.

As you grow through your early years,
There will be plenty of scrapes and tears,
But I will be there to pick you up,
Wipe the tears from your eyes,
Hold your hand through any hiccup,
Sharing in all your wide-eyed surprise.
For your young years will be full of wonder,
Like lightning’s flash and the sound of thunder.

Your teenage years will test us both,
But I will be patient; that is my oath.
I will help you find your moral compass – 
To listen, to respect, to love, and be kind;
To be of service and all that will encompass;
To strive with all your being to better mankind.
Then when to adulthood you graduate,
You will be ready for what will await.

When you step through adulthood’s door,
Life, at times, may knock you to the floor.
If that happens, just get back on your feet;
Keep applying and trying with your best
To make your life purposeful and complete,
Knowing in your heart you’ve been blessed.
I know God has looked on me and smiled.
This is my letter to you, my unborn child.

P.S. – Share this someday with my yet-to-be-born grandchild.

Mike Hall has been a teacher for 43 years. He is the author of two poetry collections, Autumn’s Back Porch and Thinking Out Loud. His work is meant to encourage others in their daily walk. He and his wife, Cynthia, live in the Dallas area.