If

3.2025

If I was you

In your position

I pray I’d be different

We never know how we will respond

But I pray I wouldn’t be like you

If I was you

I hope I would show up

To everything

Be grateful for any time

Put my own effort in

To getting my own access to information

If I was you

I would say I’m sorry

To me

And to him

For all of the lies you’ve spun

The manipulation wielded

For the emotional and psychological

Abuse

We’ve been subjected to

If I was you

I would be thankful

For all of the responsible parent and life things

You never think of or acknowledge that

I take care of so

You can be the Disneyland

Free of responsibility person

About everything

If I was you

I wouldn’t treat him like my buddy

I’d keep adult conversations and issues

Away from his eyes and ears

I would put his needs above my emotional insecurities

I would let him be a kid

While he can

If I was you

I hope I would never need an order of protection

Or require supervised visitation

He would never at age 5

Have been told you pay me to take care of him

I wouldn’t cuss at you in front of him

I would put effort in to helping

With homework, sports, appointments

Focusing on raising him

Not an errant “bad” grade

If I was you

I wouldn’t coerce compassion to gain control

Fabricate lies to garner loyalty and love

I wouldn’t craft a narrative to pour over him

To make him feel like he has to choose between

Me and you

Because at the end of the day

He is half of

Me and you

If I was you

I’d focus on character development

Confidence building

rather than creating mental and emotional self doubt at every turn

I wouldn’t coerce him into propping up my fragile ego

Just ensure he is happy healthy and safe

Regardless of what roof is over his head

And cultivate his tender heart toward

Eternally security

If I was you

I pray I’d think of myself less

And Him more