Because Tina Fey expressed my concerns for my child in a way I cannot. I love her more than I can say and thank anyone who's listening for giving her to me.
"First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor
Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches. May she
be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy
soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is
offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And
stick with beer. Guide her, protect her when crossing the street,
stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking
near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street,
stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off
escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large
windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters,
log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The
Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on
any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from
Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her
own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside
sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord?
Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I
knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the
fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms,
so she need Not Lie With Drummers. Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve
to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much
too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for
one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait. O
Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled
invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel
V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me
and calls me a *** in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord,
to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not
have that ***. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a
Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket
on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love
with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother
did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her
baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will
wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental
Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it
with Your God eyes. Amen.” From "Bossypants"
No comments:
Post a Comment