Dear Daughter,
Some say that the bond between a mother and daughter is the strongest there is. Although I don’t have tangible proof of it, I couldn’t doubt it for a second.
From the day I knew you were on your way, I wanted to make this world a more comfortable and safer place for you. I prepared a home, protected you from cold and heat, covered all the dangerous corners of the house, and closely followed your every discovery.
However, my child, the time will come when I will not be able to protect you from everything. We will celebrate your victories together, and I will also have a crumpled heart every time you face obstacles and sorrows.
But if this life has taught me anything, it is never too late or too early to share the lessons I have learned along the way.
- To live is to take risks. There is no way around it. The best lesson I can give you is to invite you to live every single one of your experiences — the good and the bad. Only when you have tasted the sweet and the bitter will you know the beauty in between.
- Stop and listen. When in doubt, when the road seems complicated, simply stop and listen. You will know in your heart the decision you must make.
- Never settle. Your dreams are the size of your capabilities. There is no goal out of your reach if you put your mind to it.
- Travel, visit and get out of your comfort zone. This is the only way to develop empathy, to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes and change the way you see the world.
- Learn to cook. Not for someone else. For you. Learn to make that dish you like so much, and enjoy it alone.
- Read all the books and then forget them. You’ll find every obstacle or experience in literature. Once you’ve read other people’s stories, go out and write your own.
- Money is a means, not a goal. Work to be happy, not the other way around. Always spend less than you earn, save, and think of the days to come when your body cannot live at the speed of your spirit.
- Fall in love many times. You will get your heart broken, and you yourself will break the heart of more than one. But never close yourself to a new adventure.
- When meeting people, always ask questions. Don’t just talk about yourself. Listen. Others have a lot to teach you, even if they are just passing through your life.
- Stretch your back every morning. Give your body time to come out of the night’s slumber. Your future self will thank you.
- When you don’t know what to say, smile, you will see how many doors will open.
- Call your mother. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have anything important to say or if you don’t need anything. I will always need to listen to you and tell you how much I love you.
Love,
Mami