MY DEAR CHILD,
Being a parent is not easy. But being a child is equally difficult. You are loved immensely and that isn’t easy to deal with either. Because I love you, I may want the moon and the stars for you while you may just want for yourself a candy and some crayons.
You are exposed to so much more than I ever was as a child. More options, more emotions, more expectations, more rewards and of course more stress. Stress of abundance. Even a Birthday Party is no longer about cake and wafers. It’s about a theme cake with fondant to go with a theme party serving finger foods and personalized gifts as back presents. I know this is not what you choose. This is what I choose for you.
Subtly I do to you what was authoritatively done to my grandparents, openly to my parents and out of habit, done to me. But my dear child, as the world is changing, so should I. I may make choices for you out of my belief that I know better, but I want you to know that you are allowed to say no.
Make mistakes. Repair them. Then make some more. Because if you don’t, you would never know what you want. Don’t depend on anyone to rectify, alter or fulfill your dreams. Not even me. I may get upset with you sometimes, but I promise to never leave your hand. I want you to know that you are an individual. It’s okay if your brain and heart tells you to walk in the direction which is completely different.
You may study at an Ivy League school because I would want that for you, but you may choose to do nothing with what you study, and I shall be okay with it. You may become a yoga instructor or a star gazer, an activist or an industrialist. Or even better, you may choose to become nothing and live in peace. You don’t have to go out of your way to make me proud. Just watching you smile makes me feel proud.
My dear child, I will do my best to stick to this. But should I fail, do read this out to me and I am sure, after a brief pause, we shall both smile.
-Kalamwali