I REALIZE THAT TIME HAS PASSED AND THAT YOU ALL HAVE GROWN,

BUT I MUST CONVERSE WITH YOU WHO ARE THE CHILDREN THAT I HAVE KNOWN,

SO PLEASE LISTEN NOW TO THE SECRETS THAT I MUST TELL,

FOR WRITTEN HERE IS MY FINAL GOODBYE: A CHILD'S LAST FAREWELL.

I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START,

I MISS YOU ALL MORE EACH DAY...THE LONGER THAT WE ARE APART,

I SEND OUT LETTERS AND TELEPHONE CALLS BUT SOMEHOW THEY ARE NOT THE SAME,

AND WHEN MY PAIN RETURNS I FIND THERE IS NO ONE LEFT TO BLAME.

WHEN RELEASED I THOUGHT MY PAIN WAS GONE AND THAT MY WOUNDS WERE HEALED,

BUT WHEN MEMORIES FOUGHT...OVER WHO DID WHAT...MY PAIN WAS AGAIN REVEALED,

AND MY MIND EXPLODED IN ANGUISH...AS I RAN AWAY FROM MY RAGING FEARS,

AND I HID ALONE IN THE DARK OF MY ROOM AS I DRIED THE FIRST OF A HUNDRED TEARS.

BUT ALMOST EVERY DAY OF LIFE SINCE BIRTH THERE HAS BEEN PAIN,

WHILE BRUISES OF MY CHILDHOOD ARE HEALED...EMOTIONAL SCARS REMAIN,

AND THE SURVIVOR THAT I'VE BECOME THROUGH YEARS OF HARDSHIP AND OPPRESSION,

STILL FINDS HIMSELF ON LONELY NIGHTS A VICTIM OF DEPRESSION.

BUT THEN I REMEMBER THE TIMES I'VE HAD WITH THE CHILDREN THAT I HAVE KNOWN,

THE LOVE, SUPPORT, CONCERN, STRENGTH, AND COURAGE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN,

AND THOSE MEMORIES LIFT ME UP WITHOUT YOU EVEN BEING NEAR,

AS I RISE AGAIN RENEWED CONQUERING PAIN AND FACING MY FEAR.

AND NOW COMES THE PART THAT WON'T BE EASY FOR ME TO SAY,

BUT WERE IT NOT FOR YOU I COULDN'T WRITE IT HERE TODAY,

SO NOW I THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING MORE THAN MOST HAVE DARED,

FOR YOU RESCUED ME FROM DEATH WHEN YOU REVEALED THAT ALL OF YOU CARED.

BUT THERE'S ONE MORE THING THAT I MUST SAY THAT I'VE WRITTEN FOR ALL TO SEE,

AN OATH...A PROMISE THAT I HAVE NOT MADE IN VAIN OR TAKEN LIGHTLY,

FOR THIS STATEMENT IS SOMETHING YOU'VE EARNED THAT WASN'T CHEAP, OR EASY, OR FREE:

I'LL LOVE YOU ALL FOREVER

AND YOU'LL ALWAYS BE CHILDREN TO ME!!!