To my children.

Dearest children of mine, (yes all of you including the two of you no longer here on this mortal coil). Without you, Father’s Day would just be another Sunday.

It seems as if only yesterday you entered this world. I remember holding you for the first time. You, my children, were so tiny and fragile. You held my finger with your little hand and smiled up at me. The memory of that moment is, for all time to come, etched on my heart.

With your births, I learned of new relationships and the meanings they hold. Firstly, I was your dad. Then, when your mother would be away I would replace her. And now that you are grown up, I am your friend.

So dear children, there are things that I want to share with you today -- my experiences and thoughts. Read them whenever you feel low, and I am sure that you will be able to find new hope through them.

To begin with, I want you to be whatever your heart wishes you to be. Don’t imitate anyone else; remain true to your own self. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not to satisfy other people’s expectations. The world forces us to don masks. Sadly, over time we begin mistaking these artificial masks for the faces we had hidden in the past. Don’t let this happen to you!

Always remember that no one owes you anything. If someone loves you, it is because there is something special in you that touched their hearts and brought them immense joy. As you grow older still, persistently try to find in you that special something and through recognizing and appreciating it, allow it to grow so that more love and friendship come your way.

The world is a beautiful place but often a few things can make it seem harsh. God’s temple is made of love. It is a man’s temple that is built of stones. Open your heart to goodness. No matter what happens, don’t let negative people or thoughts take hold of you. The choice between being an optimist or a pessimist will remain right there in front of you. Choose one, choose wisely!

Don’t let the child in you die. As long as you nurture this child within you, you will find happiness and joy in life.

There is a purpose in everything and everyone that comes into your life. Whatever experiences fall your way, strive to find the purpose behind them. Find the space in your heart and mind to learn a new lesson from every purpose. If you find yourself close to failing at what you started out to do, don’t hesitate to ask for help around you. One who realizes that he is ignorant is ignorant no more!

My dearest children, (sorry to be redundant, but you are) I read somewhere that every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers. There will be times in your life when you will think this is not true; you will feel that your life is too hard to be a fairy tale. At that moment, I want you to remember that fairy tales contain wonder and beauty but also a few bad things. Each one contains a jinn, a witch, a cruel queen or king, a monster, a giant, some sort of unpleasantness. The trick is to conquer this evil slowly. But before conquering those external forces, conquer the jinns and monsters hiding in your own heart. Get a grip on the devil inside!

Be bold, be brave and believe in the power of your dreams -- the dreams that shine in your lovely eyes like stars, will illuminate your way.

It is true that with every passing day, I will grow older and weaker. A day may come when I will become forgetful. But even then, you with your bright smile, will light up my heart.

I love you, each and every one of you: Lee, Harmony, Benjamin, Paisley and Maximilian for your own special self.

Dad

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