You Have to Be Taught - A Story About Lessons
Lessons that children learn:
You have to be taught; rage, anger and hatred. You have to be taught: power, force and control. You have to be taught: fear, terror and pain.
As a child I learned well.
Lessons that adults learn:
You have to teach your children well: be tough, be strong, be perfect. You have to teach your children well: be the best, do the best, do it all. You have to teach your children well: forget, ignore, submit.
As an adult I learned well.
Lessons that children who were forced to be adults learn:
You have to be taught: be silent, be good, obey. You have to be taught: don’t cry, don’t tell, don’t scream. You have to be taught: don’t move, don’t fight, don’t leave.
As a child who was an adult, I learned well.
Lessons that adults who never got to be children learn:
You have to teach your child well; hope, serenity, security. You have to teach your child well; trust, innocence, contentment. You have to teach your child well; confidence, belief, peace.
As an adult who was never a child, I am learning.
YOU ARE READING
From The Eye of The Hurricane
Short StoryA collection of short stories, essays and poems about an abuse survivor's journey through darkness to the light.
