Son

You are Sixteen now
No longer a baby boy
I used to cuddle and sing to sleep
Not too young and not old enough
To know everything about life

There is so much for you to learn
So much for you to explore and discover
A bigger world is waiting outside
For you to take your step toward its welcoming doors

I understand your excitement
When you turned 16 on your birthday last month
You are eager to spread your wings and fly
To enjoy your freedom as a young adult

But you need to know
That life isn't what you think it is
It's not as simple as you perceived
It is too complex for your young mind to comprehend
You're still innocent for life's vagaries
To face it on your own

I also understand your eagerness for independence and decide for yourself
And you want to assert it if you can
But most often your Dad and I don't allow you much of that

We know more about life and how hard it is than you do
And we want to prepare you for it
By guiding you until you are ready
To face it on your own
When we are not around anymore

Son, we understand you more than you know
And we love you more than you realized
Someday when you are old enough to understand everything
You will know and realized  that what we did was for your well-being

We want to protect you from life's undesible influences that may harm you
We want the best and what's best for you
We want you to be strong and responsible for your life
So you can have a good and fulfilling life in the future without us by your side
We want you to soar high when it's your time to fly

Because we love you dearly Son