Caleb is an adult now – technically anyway.  Mentally I crumple the map we might have used to launch him into independence.  He will never live on his own.  He will never come to us with disorientating news that he is quitting University to backpack through South America with Martina…no matter, it’s an illusion anyway.

None of us live well
isolated – on our own;
we need each other

God’s Ten Commands were for living together and inter-connected.  God told the Children of Israel: you will always need me; don’t resist, don’t go looking for a better parent; don’t curse all I’ve done for you; take time to cultivate the holy: stop, reflect and remember; honour those who have loved you our whole life long, so you too will live whole, your life long; life is sacred, do not be murderous or careless; chastely love each other; do not steal someone’s stuff; don’t steal someone’s truth by telling lies; covet nothing, things, people or experiences.  God launched them not into independence, but inter-dependence.

© 2016 – Laurel Archer

Photo Credit – John Archer
Poetic form: Haibun