I Am

I am a child
bouncing on my father's lap
laughing as he chants 
a German nursery rhyme about a bird 
that ends with tickles and laughter

I am a child
begging my mother to sing
the “Uh-oh!” song
because I love the way
she rolls her eyes 
and her mischievous grin at the end

I hear my parents tell me
that I am beautiful
that I am smart
that I can be anything I want to be

I am a mother
bouncing my children on my lap
making up German words
to a rhythm remembered from childhood
that ends with tickles and laughter

I make up a lot of things like
A condensed version of the Pinocchio story
that lasts less than a minute
but must be told verbatim 
before the bedtime ritual is complete

I tell my children
they are beautiful
they are smart
they can be anything they want to be

Even though I always tell the truth
even if it isn't what they want to hear
I don't think they believe me
when I praise them for being themselves

My children are grown
They have lives of their own
They do not need me 
to tell them bedtime stories
before they can fall asleep
or sing songs to make them laugh

But I am still here
to share a laugh
or dry their tears

I am still here
willing to stand beside them
as they fight their dragons

I am still here
and “senior moments” be damned
I am still able 
to tell the Pinocchio story verbatim

Because a mother 
looks into her grown child's face
and will always see the toddler
who still needs her
even when the only relief 
she has to offer is love

~Elise Skidmore ©2026