Mentee
The scary part of mentoring
Is faulty stuff to it we bring;
We are not perfect, less with age –
Like, mentees see what makes us rage.Suggested I, with some pre-thought,
I do a book for info sought
From Lulu’s place of “P.O.D.”
As project for grandson and me.I’d buy his stories, fit his page,
And market target for his age,
Of ‘jobs and hobbies of same type’ –
Explore ‘why each choice was right’.Like farmer one (not gardener he)
Does it full-time, not hobby, see?
While gardener type earns different way
Then plays in ground at end of day.Maybe a chain – each one link up
The farmer’s hobby next job sought;
But that would be more complex task
Printing a book enough to ask.So he said, ‘yes’, to concept mine,
A paying scale we then defined,
To keep it real so both can learn
How it is done, how much we’d earn.As I reflect on our joint task
I see a chance to talk at last
About the parts of work we like,
Where each is weak, or work with might.Ten thousand things are caught this way,
It’s not so much in what we say;
From each we learn the other’s ways,
And how we each live out our days.I think of how in woods with dad
A need for fresh-cut poles we had;
The heavy end, it’s now I see
He carried out – the light end, me.But as I aged, and he aged too,
Our roles reversed – like me with you,
I then picked up, (his back was sore)
The heavy end, I could do more.I thought last year I’d never see
A chance for him to work with me,
And laugh together at some task
Then do high-five when done at last.It does not always work this way,
And maybe this is not the day;
But I look forward to a time
New way to walk, his hand in mine.navigation