A letter ...

Partner wrote it for his would-be-parent best friend in V.P.Kale's Partner. Rani Mukerji wrote it for her newborn daughter in KKHH. And then Mansi wrote it for her future child. That was inspiration enough for me, to hunt down the age old draft and post it. [Had not posted it earlier as I always thought it to be incomplete..somehow.]


Dear Kid,


Don't be surprised to read this. Even if we live in the same household this post is a mirror to what your mother was few years back. And somewhere its your duty to remind her (i.e. me) that how cynical, and irritated an adult she has become. As I write this I hope to reflect on my own life and tell you some goofy stories about life and its lessons. If I sound too patronizing then don't mind I am trying my level best to be the coolest parent around. For some reason if you put yourself in my shoes or any parents' shoes you will realize 'why they act the way they act' and it will be quite an amusing revelation. ;)


And that's the first thing I would like to tell you from what I have learnt from life so far. Don't judge anyone randomly for their actions. Try to practise empathy and compassion. It will save you from many harsh decisions and also open your heart to a range of human emotions. Being human has its own vicissitudes. I hope you learn to acknowledge and respect them early on. Even if you dont understand all this right now, I hope you just make a note of it. It has helped me a lot, and it will help you too.


Btw do you attend your classes regularly ? And do you study regularly ? When I was in school I was too sincere. But thankfully managed my bit of fun too. I used to read a lot. Do you read too ? And what kind of genres do you read ? Please include the Potter series, Little women and To kill a mocking bird in your reading list.


Do you sing/dance/paint/doodle/write/scribble/cook/run ? Any of these activities helps you explore the world within and outside with an open mind. I hope health and the mind's well being is on your agenda. Don't just be a kitaabi keeda. 


And have I shown you the Michigan lakeside ? If not then we need to plan a trip soon. Btw I hope you do like travelling. Isnt it just fun to pack your bags, forget the humdrum and be yourself ? I also hope you love the nature and its beauty. It has the ability to heal the deepest of wounds and shoo away scariest of thoughts. When you feel really lonely, give nature a chance. It will be a good shoulder to lean on and strengthen yourself.


There is one more thing which is very important and you should remember. That is being yourself. In spite of your colour,size,height,weight be yourself. You will face identity crisis at some point or the other in life. But dont forget your principles, the little things you believe in, just to be somebody else. And even if you do forget and try to be something you are not, then don't worry. I will try to be a friendly reminder. As important it is to give others a second chance, it is of utmost importance that you give yourself chances too. Better to learn a lesson than never committing a mistake. Be generous to others and yourself. Life isn't easy, so its better not to complicate it with little things.


And do you enjoy the small stuff ? Like pani puri, a candy bar, leaving small notes behind for yourself and friends, writing letters, jumping in roadside puddles, getting wet in the rains once in a while, drinking hot chocolate by the fireplace and watching animated movies ? It is always this small stuff which matters. It is the joy of small things which sometimes lessens the pain of not getting what you wanted in life.


Life with its absurdities will sometimes amaze you, sometimes dishearten you and sometimes bog you down to the extent of giving up. But moving on is the greatest gift you have got. Use it wisely. Cultivate your faith and a right attitude towards life and people in general. Then you will be able to deal with the cynics and non believers from early on. Don't ever give up on your dreams. They make you what you are. They also motivate you to keep going despite the hardships, trials and tribulations of life. And its nice to keep the kid within alive, along with that dream.


And have an ego. But not amongst friends. They are your mirrors and each friendship you nurture will open you to fun things. I hope you are not hooked to social networking sites (if they are still the in thing that is). If facebook is gone then what do you use to re-connect with lost/old friends ? If facebook exists then are we friends on it ? I hope we are. Again I dont intend to keep a watch on you, but just want to be a part of your life and the changes you are going through. And if twitter is still there, then hope you are following me and vice versa ;) Do you have a blog ? Well not because you like writing. But its a good option for having a pensieve. And also because I would love to read your thoughts. (We have a deal on the being a non creepy parent so dont worry ;))


I hope you give love a chance. It needn't be a happy ending. But opening your heart to someone is a really warm feeling. Love will keep you grounded and humble. Also its not important to be wise in love. Let your heart choose its own way. What makes it happy, will make you happy in the end :)
Btw do you get annoyed by unsolicited advice and suggestions ? (If yes, I am so happy that you are like me) But its good to be a good listener. Also its ok to be a rebel and give your piece of mind to annoying people once in a while ;)
You will meet people who would like to change you to suit their needs or to better yourself. I hope you will be able to recognize what is what from early on.


I am so sure you are a good kid and loved by everyone. I am also very sure that you have lots of dreams and ambitions. Don't give up on any of them is the least I can tell you. But sometimes with life's unpredictability you might have to let go of some. It will be a terrible feeling, but time gets rid of all troubles. So I hope you cultivate patience too. And more than wisdom, being clever is important in life. Sometimes wisdom might take away all the fun there is to situations. And remember having fun is a necessity when it comes to leading a happy life :)


Also never take anything for granted. Always count your blessings. For every crib-thought you nurture, remember there is a kid in an impoverished neighbourhood struggling to make a living for him/her self. But you will always have me and god to crib, cry about stuff which is important to you.


I think sometimes we wont find time to be the normal parent-kid. Not always will we find time for each other, with my work-life imbalance. Then its your duty to remind me of the balance I need to seek. If I become cynical, unhappy and irked by life and people, it is again your call to remind me who I was and what I have become. As you can see responsibilities for you will start quite early in life. Please try to accept them gracefully. With a mother like me, it will save you lot of energy ;)


Keep your eyes and mind open kid. Learn, eat, explore, enjoy, love and be loved. Dream a lot and strive for your dreams. All this won't solve any of life's mysteries but it will definitely make life happy and fun.


Lots of love, laughter and sunshine,
~nightflier


P.S. And yeah do you have a pseudonym too ?