Dearest Alia, Asma and Arissa
I am writing this to you because some words are better said early. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will. Remember the following as you go through life.............
1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.
2. No one is indispensable and nothing in the world is important enough that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.
3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.
4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.
5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!
6. Check your temper always. Better still, leave you anger (which most probably are unwarranted anyway) at home. Nobody likes foul-tempered person. You don't like those person and don't ever be one. If you meet someone who is one, be the classy one - be gracious and stay calm!
7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to do so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.
8. If you want to be successful, you have to work hard and smart and pray a lot! There is no free lunch!
9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together.
Love,
Bapak
p.s: Now girls, go find yourselves kind hearted, Allah fearing princes to be your soul mate. Start looking!!!
(As much as I wanted to claim that I wrote this letter myself but the truth is that this is actually an edited version of a letter from a renown Hong Kong TV broadcaster cum Child Psychologist to his son. It came into my inbox and of course I've edited and added some points .. you know to correspond with my relationships with my daughters... but the words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents.!)
