To my children

When rank sarcasm burns into your skin, when teeth spread out in smiles that are, in truth, hungry grins, when close friends' laughter turns cruel and cold, take it all in, and take it down deep. Take it into your belly, to the seat of your soul. You'll see, in plainness and truth, that your deep can't be offended by sneers and snickers, nor even by pain and punishment, any more than the stars can offend the sky. Then, forgive.