sewing ballet shoes

Today I sat in my new kitchen

and sewed elastic

into my sons ballet shoes

with a sewing kit

my mother made for me.

I balked at at the time

I thought I would never use it

Yet here I sat

suburban house

ballet shoes

sewing kit

wishing thimbles were more like the size of catchers mitts

so I could stop getting stuck by the damn needle

who knew I'd be here...

Parents often write to me

asking what it takes

to a be a good

well-rounded parent

As gay moms and dads I think we struggle

to try to do everything

be everything

compensate

as if something is lacking

to be a good parent

you must love unconditionally

and leap often into uncharted waters

that makes you the the most qualified

and best parent of all

today

my big lesbian self

sewed ballet shoes

they might not be perfect

but they are full of love

and I did it for him

that's parenting

that's love

(just hope the elastic holds!)