Dear Alisha and Keshav,
I don't know how much I will be able to teach you throughout our life together. I want to share with you everything that I have learned. Everything I can. You will grow up with your own experiences, make your own mistakes. But in this letter, I want to give some simple (valuable?) advice from my experiences that I hope will make a difference.
Every person goes through a lot in their day and in their life. Every person fights a battle you may know nothing about. Someone might just need a smile to brighten up their morning, some person might just want a hug after a difficult day, someone might just want to be listened to without being judged, someone may be looking just for reassurance that they are doing a good job. Be a little understanding towards everyone.
Apologize when you are wrong instead of playing the blame game. Saying sorry is more sensible than pointing fingers. Don't let your ego rule over what's right or wrong.
Don't be so lazy for everything. It's ok to want to take a break, to relax and do nothing for a bit. But when you know you have tasks to do, get on and get done with it. Procrastinating only increases the workload.
There's so much to learn, so much to see, so much to do, and there's only so much time in life. While on one hand I'd love for you both to be high achievers, I also wish for you to know when to slow down, to relax, and to strike a balance.
Find hobbies you are passionate about. Find a creative outlet. Find something you'd love to do at the end of a tiring day that will help you relax. You don't have to be a master of one; go ahead and be a slave of all trades if that works for you.
Whatever you do, say, think, and see may not always be right. Be open to other views and learn to listen. Just because someone else has another opinion or does things differently doesn't make them wrong.
Everything has a place. If you remember this, you can keep everything organized. It is no fun for other person to clean up for you and after you all the time.
My dears, no matter how much name, fame, and fortune you earn in life--stay humble. Genuinely humble. Don't allow pride and arrogance to take over the good in you.
Financial independence and achievement is important in life, but don't measure your success only with money.
Learn to value people. Don't take anyone for granted. Learn to value money. Learn to value things. Don't take anything for granted. Learn to value feelings. Learn to value the environment. Don't take nature for granted.
Don't be afraid to take risks. But don't be a fool to take uncalculated, unplanned risks. You still may or may not succeed, but either ways you will learn. You will always learn lessons from whatever you do. Take that first step.
Be patient. Some things take time. Frustration and worries will not help, neither will being impatient help. But a calm mind is a strong mind.
It's okay to be overexcited for something that excites you and to express the overexcitement if that makes you excited even if someone doesn't understand your excitement. A genuine enthusiasm is not meant for hiding...share the positive vibes with the world.
Remind yourself to smile if it doesn't happen naturally. Even if it is a forced smile, just smile. The way you react to people, situation, things, and to yourself will automatically change when you deal with it with a smile.
Do your part to finish the chores around the house. It's not called 'help', it's called duty...it's called responsibility when you live in the same home--whether you live with your parents, friends, spouse, or your kids. Whether it is wiping the table after a meal, doing the dishes, sweeping and mopping the floor, throwing the garbage, cleaning the bathroom, replacing and refilling what's needed, doing the laundry, or anything that's to be done. It's not one person's job to do everything. And when you divide and work, work gets done faster and doesn't feel like a lot of work.
Lastly, regardless of your beliefs in God, be grateful for this life that you have been blessed with. Each one of us is a miracle. There could be numerous complications and mishaps in a mother's pregnancy, in the birth of a baby, and in the growing years of a child. So if you are alive today, you are a miracle.
Make the most of your miraculous life.
And remember, I love you both more than my own miraculous life.
Always yours,
Mumma.
