Dear son, dear daughter,
I gave you life,
but I cannot live it for you.
Do not spend it
at the mercy of grief and self loathe,
but sit on the lawn, gazing proudly at the moon
and belch out loudly, saying “I’ll live my life,
in such a way that will make my father proud.”
Dear daughter, dear son,
I can teach you many things,
but I cannot make you learn.
Your fate is intact so far,
it is not cracked yet.
Do not let your dreams
flow into leaking jars;
but just like stars,
learn to speak your truth quietly,
and shine in silence;
learn to dream big,
in a world that is unjust and unfair.
Dear son, dear daughter,
I can give you directions,
but I cannot be there to lead you.
There will be challenges along the way,
that I promise you.
But no matter the bleeding and the scars,
that they will leave in their wake,
be brave with the assurance that
I’ll be there to provide a healing shoulder,
if and when you allow me to;
a shoulder that hopefully
will ease the pain and suffering.
Dear daughter, dear son,
I can allow you freedom,
but I cannot account for it.
As you campaign for love and affection,
you will have to pave for yourself
a path that leads you, and you only,
to your own bright sun,
carved on a sky that beams and smiles
just to you.
Dear son, dear daughter,
I can teach you right from wrong,
but I can’t always decide for you.
I can warn you about over-indulgence,
but I can’t prevent you from it.
You will have to choose for yourself
when to say “yes” or “no.”
Soldier on with the knowledge that
everything is good only in moderation;
and teach yourself to embrace saying
“enough is enough”, when appropriate;
with no regrets.
Dear daughter, dear son,
as your rays continue to penetrate
the hearts of your peers and associates,
and vice versa,
I can advise you about friends,
but I cannot choose them for you.
As you continue to traverse and wriggle
the oceans of mysteries and hidden treasures;
I can only offer you unsolicited advice,
but I cannot accept it for you.
Ponder over it, analyze it
and roar like a beast
when you eventually decide to give it a chance.
Never slaughter or castrate
the values that I have instilled in you,
at the altar of self-pride.
Dear son, dear daughter,
You are my crystal, lest you forget!
Listen and hear;
I thrust my hope into your palms,
filled with unconditional love,
in all its synonyms;
My dear daughter, My dear son.
