I did teach you to walk ~ But I didn’t teach you to walk all over others
I did teach you to eat with a spoon ~ But I didn’t teach you to use one to cook heroin
I did teach you how to dress yourself ~ But I didn’t teach you to dress to cover your track marks
I did teach you how to tie your shoe-laces ~ But I didn’t teach you how to use them as a tool in shooting up
I did teach you to stretch your muscles ~ But I didn’t teach you to use them to bully or intimidate
I did teach you how to ride a bike ~ But I didn’t teach you that one day it would be all that you have
I did teach you how to manipulate numbers, to add and subtract ~ But I didn’t teach you how manipulate others.
I did teach you that love is a gift ~ But I didn’t teach you to use it as a weapon to get what you want
I did teach you that the door is always open ~ But I didn’t teach you that one day we might have to shut it.
I did what all parents do… but I have to do what no parent wants to do.
Teach you that I have to shut the door.
A Mothers Heart 
This piece could easily be one of those classics that parents look to as they are trying to figure out “how did we get here.” Painful piece. Excellently stated.
Its my hope that we parents understand that we have taught them many good things, that addiction has turned against us.
Wow, that was some poem!!!!! Brings tears to my eyes! My son is a prescription opiate recovering addict. But it all still seems so fitting. My son is 8 months clean. But in some moments it all comes back and seems like yesterday. God bless all of us that love all our children the ones that are, or have been addicted to anything. Keep writing, and thank you
It takes tears to be able to write… Without the pain I have endured through all of this there would be no passion to write.
That is such an excellent post!