When I was young
I thought as a young man,
I grew up watching shows like:
Gleason, Donna Reed, Dick Van Dyke 

Mother-In-Laws were feared
And everyone knows
When she arrives for a visit
The husband goes
Running and hiding,
Anywhere he can find

I must have thought
I had lost my mind
At this very early age
I didn’t want to reflect
I didn’t want to grow up and be that kind
Of a son-in-law 

So time has marched on
And things haven’t changed
Mother-in-laws are still feared
On TV and movies
They don’t like him and he don’t like her
Personally speaking I think the whole thing is absurd

 Fortunately for me
As time marches on
Life deals the cards
And my mother-in-law can see
Right through me
and I her
Its true what they say, its like riding a bike
Just like you can always remember how to ride
People always want to be liked ! 

You can always see what you want
Cup ½ empty or ½ full

Time marches on
Many years later
There is a new show in town
Everyone Loves Raymond
Things have turned around
Its not the man and the mom
It’s a whole new sonnnnnng
It’s the mom and the wife
A whole different view 

But just like riding a bike
The bottomline is still the same
½ Empty? Or ½ Full
You have to decide

Ray Spoto for my mother-in-law = Inge
Hope this poem finds you well and I want you to know  I am thinking of you and hope you are feeling better - ray