I Loved You Enough . . .
(Author Unknown)

Some day when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them:

"I loved you enough . . . to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home."

"I loved you enough . . . to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford to buy one for you."

"I loved you enough . . . to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep."

"I loved you enough . . . to make you take a Milky Way back to the drugstore (with a bite out of it) and tell the clerk, 'I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it.'"

"I loved you enough . . . to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that would have taken 15 minutes."

"I loved you enough . . . to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect."

"I loved you enough . . . to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart."

"But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say 'no,'when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too."