Randi Zuckerberg Writes a Touching Poem About Tech to Her Sons

iMom: A Poem to My Boys About the Future

To my two little boys whom I love so much

One day you’ll say “Mom! Gosh, you’re SO out of touch

So on this Mother’s Day, here’s my poem to you

To show your mom once knew a tech thing, or two

One day you’ll say, “Mom help me understand,

You had to talk on a box that you held in your HAND?

You had to press buttons? You had to type words?

You couldn’t just THINK things and have them be heard?

I’ll say, “That box that you laugh at was magic, you see,

For when traveling for work, you were still there with me

You barely even knew that I wasn’t home

I was able to work, live and love by that phone”

One day you’ll say, “Mom, you knew how to DRIVE?!?!”

“Like, actually move things to go for a ride?”

You had to press pedals? You had to switch gears?

You couldn’t just climb in and let the car steer?”

I’ll say, “Yes, I drove and boy did we roam

From that hospital ride, when we first brought you home

To the road trips we took, both near and far

Some great memories were made driving that car”

One day you’ll say, “Mom, you got on a plane?!?!

Why didn’t you just use VR? Please explain!

You had to pack luggage? You had to check in?

You couldn’t just put on some virtual skin?”

I’ll say, “Yes, seeing the world is the one thing I’ve done

That gives me almost as much joy as being your mom

If it wasn’t for travel, I never would have had

The pleasure of meeting my best friend, your dad”

And how do I know what you’ll ask me, my sons?

Don’t you know we said the same when we were young?

I’d be like, “MOM! When you wanted to call,

You’d need to have quarters? And stand near the wall?!?!”

And you’ll have the same with your kids, it’s a fact,

No matter how much tech you know, you’ll get lapped

Tech’s a huge part of my story, my career and my life

It’s shaped who I am: mother, sister, friend, wife

But being your mom has taught me to reflect

Sometimes we need to unplug, to truly connect

All gadgets grow old, replaced by new toys

No matter what changes,

I love you, my boys

#With #Love,

Mom

Randi Zuckerberg is a New York Times bestselling author, the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, host of “Dot Complicated” on SiriusXM and Editor-in- Chief of DotComplicated.co, an online community helping us navigate and “untangle” our wired, wonderful lives.