You came into our bedroom 
Stood beside your father 
Slumped shoulders, head hung low
Your hair was slick with sweat and rain
You looked at me through knotted strands
You stood fidgeting like you always do
Your eyes searching for a sign 
Filled with three day old shame 
Voice shaking as you apologized 
The relief and rage I felt at once
No one prepares us parents for 
Not in times like these moments 
You simply wanted so desperately 
To feel free like a “grown man” 
Unbeknownst to you, most grown men 
Are actually dying, trying to stay young 
The precipice of adulthood is harsh 
I wanted to scoop you up, hold you tight 
Pour all the love into the crack needing filled
That you had spent three days running from
I just wasn’t sure you’d understand at the time
So I gave an affirmative response 
Then asked for a hug, holding on 
Probably longer than you thought necessary 
Maybe I needed it more than you did? 
Sometimes offering grace with a slice of silence 
Speaks so much louder than words.