THE "NO HUG" RULE


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 ~
Copyright 1999