Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A Letter to my Newborn Son.





Dear Son,

I know it must seem strange of me to write you a letter when you’re only 6 days old but I hope you’ll allow me to celebrate God’s gift to us in you. First off, I’m your father. As such, I bear a tremendous responsibility and I hope I don’t let you down.

I love to hold you in my arms and I find myself watching you as you’re sleeping and I feel myself welling up with such love for you that it’s like my heart is going to burst. I can be a hard man sometimes – just ask your mother – but when I look at your little face, so innocent, pure and unspoiled, I just melt. It’s just unbelievable to me that I could produce something so beautiful.

Let me tell you about our family। Your mother is the most amazing person I’ve ever had the privilege to know and as you grow I hope you will realize how lucky you are to have her for your mother. Your Grand-father is a gem, he is such a noble person that I wish you should gain his character as well. No need to say anything about your Grand-mother, within these 6 days you must have noticed how hard-working she is, without caring herself in spite of her backache & joint problems she is serving our whole family religiously. You’ll cherish your grandparents hand over your head & it’s my sincere request that do give maximum regards that they really deserve. Both your Bua love you more than anything. Anyone can see the spark in their eyes while holding you.
Earlier tonight I was holding you and you were sleeping so quietly in my arms and I just got lost looking at you, all your little movements and sounds. A thought occurred to me as I was watching you. I started thinking about all the babies born in the world, about how they are brand new to this world. Each one is born into different circumstances. And then I started thinking about how the circumstances that you have been born into are controlled by me. And it made me realizes that the role I will play in your life is paramount in how you will develop and grow as a person in this world. As I said earlier, I am your father; I am perhaps the most influential person you will know in your life. I don’t take this responsibility lightly.

I promise that I will do everything I can to prepare you for what you will face in your life। I promise that I will never desert you, that I will always be here for you, no matter what hardships you face. I may not always give you what you want but I will always do my best to give you what you need. I may not always be the best father but it won’t be for lack of trying. Above all else son, I promise that I will love you and do my best to make sure that you have everything you need. I finally realized that my life is no longer my own; it belongs to you and our family now. You are my treasure. Never forget that.

One more thing I would like to share dear son that the world that you have born into is a hard one. You have been born into a world at war, where people kill each other because of something as trivial as what religion they practice or don’t practice or what part of the world they are from. When I look at your little face, I sometimes think about how lucky you are that you have not yet been tainted by this world and how I wish you could forever remain so innocent. I pray that you will not become involved in such terrible things as are occurring right now; that the world and its inhabitants will have evolved beyond such madness by the time you are old enough to understand. I pray that you will never learn such hatred as to judge a fellow human being by the color of his skin, by his station in life, where he was born, or by his ethnicity. Please son, choose the path of understanding rather than violence whenever possible. Understand that while violence is sometimes necessary and inevitable, it is not the desired path and should be used only as a last result.
It’s your life son। Whatever you do with it, I pray that you will never settle for anything less than what you deserve; greatness। I love you and your mother more than you will ever know।
Love,
Dad