I Know This Much Is True...

When I was a teenager, 

On my way out the door to some party or concert,

My mother would say to me,"Make good decisions."

And so I did, to the best of my ability while staying true to myself.

I may not have always chosen the most moral path.

I may not have done what everyone else wanted of me.

But looking back, I regret nothing.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by so much love, understanding, loyalty, trust.

With the support & dedication of many.

I watch my life thrive and flourish,

Even at times when I'm trying to hit bottom,

I come out on top.

For all that I've been through, I'm still being blessed.

Which says to me that I couldn't have been that wrong.

But you,

You never cease to disappoint me.

Each stumble in your life, though heart wrenching to watch,

Is an assurance that I made the right decision.

A constant reminder of my freedom,

And the cost at which it came.

Reviews

[Lorry]

Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too many to mention. Your Mom worried, that is a Mothers job. A daughters job is to take all the advice and experience and bring it to what that child becomes. Regretting nothing shows that she taught you well and that even our flaws are there for a reason, to keep us grounded and to improve on who we are to others. Some people make it (you), others don't (why is everyone looking at me) :)
Your last two lines sum it up perfectly, you are free, but it came with a price.

[barleygirl]

This was surprising! I went thru the first 2/3 of it, thinking this is an interesting message of hope, sharing the description of a realistic life, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Then the ending! I was not expecting that! I like it, tho. I've written a similar poem recently about being tired of watching someone make bad choices & then come whining when things turn out bad. Since most of your poem was so accepting, I wasn't expecting the message to turn into a contrast between the narrator & some other person that isn't making good choices. A powerful statement of condemnation: "You never cease to disappoint me" . . . that's pretty tough talk. But I can understand -- when we try to do our best, learning from mistakes, having hope, then it gets tiring to watch another person constantly fall, when it seems preventable, & we know we can't do anything to change another person's choices.

[Comewhatevermay]

It's excruciating. Thank you for your review, Hun. I'll return the favor soon.