An Evening with Planets

Dear Ethan,

Last week, we were invited by your classmate Atharv’s parents to their house for dinner. It was such a kind and heartwarming gesture from such lovely people. Since it was a weekend and we didn't have any prior commitments, we readily accepted their invitation. By 7:30 in the evening, we arrived at their place. As parents, we frequently met each other at the morning bus stop where we drop you kids off, and because of that, the bond between our families had grown over time. Your mum often goes for walks with Atharv’s mum. As we all know, Atharv is a bright, intelligent, and lovable child.

As soon as we arrived, both you and Atharv started playing together. He invited you to his toy room and pulled out all his toys for you to enjoy. Both of you soon got engrossed with the toys, laughter filled the room, and we parents also got into various discussions. The conversations ranged from work to personal life. Atharv’s parents had the gift of gab and entertained us with their witty banter, humor, and delicious snacks. They both seemed to be excellent cooks, and we certainly benefited from their culinary skills.

Time flew by with all the laughter, chatter, and food. Before we knew it, it was dinner time. We decided to serve you children first as you both would take some time to finish eating. Aunty quickly served you both, and like good children, you started eating without any fuss. Uncle decided to tell you a story and pulled out a book from his closet. He chose to tell you the story of the origin of space and the planets. Uncle is a space enthusiast and spoke effortlessly about the evolution of the planetary system. All of us listened carefully, and I was particularly awestruck by his ability to remember details and present them to five-year-olds with amazing storytelling skills. Both of you finished your food and quickly resumed playing.

Afterwards, we started our dinner, which concluded with delicious ice cream served by Aunty. None of us could say no to ice cream, and we all relished it. Around 11 PM, we started heading home. Since we all live in the same society and it was the weekend, time was not a constraint. They were kind enough to escort us to our tower.

Why should you remember this evening? Both of you are great friends and even prefer to sit together on the school bus. That evening reminded me of Uncle’s amazing storytelling abilities and the fact that we should not limit ourselves to one thing only. There are so many interesting things to learn. Atharv, being just five years old, could effortlessly talk about the evolution of space and the planetary system. I firmly believe that the people around you will always influence you with their intelligence. Atharv showed remarkable dexterity at a young age on such an advanced topic. Even though you haven't had the chance to learn about the planetary system yet, the moment you show interest, Atharv can explain it to you.

Never stop your learning curiosity. Promise me that it will be a lifelong endeavor for you. Surround yourself with brilliant people who have high value systems, and you will always benefit. However, to be part of this elite group, you need to be brilliant and intelligent as well. Don’t limit education to academic degrees or marks. If you score 90 in a subject, know that there is another 10 that you missed. Even though someone decides a minimum passing mark, you should aim for 100.

I wish you all the best, my child.

Love, Papa