For My Daughter on her 21st Birthday by Ellen Bass.

When they laid you in the crook of my arms like a bouquet, and I looked into your eyes, dark bits of evening sky, I thought, of course this is you.

Like a person who has never seen the sea can recognize it instantly. They pulled you from

me like a cork and all the love flowed out. I adored you with the squandering passion of spring

that shoots green from every pore. You dug me out like a well.

You lit the deadwood of my heart.

You pinned me to the earth with the points of stars.

I was sure that kind of love would be enough.

I thought I was your mother.

How could I have known that over and over you would crack the sky like lightning,

illuminating all my fears, my weaknesses, my sins?

Massive, the bird in this flesh must learn to bear like mules of love.

Wow. What was that poem? Who wrote that?

It's for my daughter on her 21st birthday by Alan Bass.

Oh, give me chills. I love that.

Yeah.

Welcome to the art of accomplishment, where we explore how deepening connection with ourselves and others leads to

creating the life we want with enjoyment and ease. I'm Alexa. And I'm Brett. And I'm Joe.

And I'm overjoyed. Watching you too is great. So if you haven't discern this so far, today's episode is

going to be on parenthood. And we don't yet know what we're going to talk about. But right now,

Alexa and I have been sitting in the question of when kids, how kids, what does it mean?

Identity, freedom. How do we do it? How do we do it in a way that

...