Photography by Robert Doisneau

Please know that just because I am the one that is trying to raise you, doesn’t mean that I am always right. I can only promise to try my best. There will be times when I don’t know what to say, because – believe it or not – I haven’t even learned all of the answers yet.

My promise to you now and always, is that I will share with you everything that I know. I promise that I will be honest with you when I don’t know the real answers because I would never want to accidentally lead you in the wrong direction. I might need you to find some things out on your own but please know that I will always be here to give you what I believe is the best information, not advice.

I can not advise you on things of which I am unsure, but I can help you find them and we can learn together, please be careful who you learn from and keep not only your eyes and ears, but also your heart wide open. I promise I will guide you, not push you; through the hard and ever-changing times in this crazy life that I chose to lead you in.

It’s going to be really, really hard.

A lot harder than people make it out to be. There are going to be people making this whole life thing seem real easy. It’s not. I have learned that for the most part, the people who make it seem easy are very good at hiding the hard parts, and not always for ill-intended reasons, sometimes it’s because they want you to see how good they’re doing and hopefully you’ll REALLY want that good life.

Of course I want that for you too but I don’t ever want you to be afraid to show how hard it is to get there. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, most people who seem like they have made it are dying to tell someone their story but their ego might prevent them.

There will be people who intentionally steer you in the wrong direction, and those who will go out of their way to help you, those are the people you will remember the most. Don’t be afraid of your ego, it exists and always will. You can choose to ignore it, or let it guide you, but know that it is always there.

There will be people telling you to drop your ego, and you can listen to what their reasoning is, but don’t lose sight of it because sometimes it is all that will save you. Sometimes what’s in your own head won’t seem like enough to go on, and that will be scary.  I promise I will be there to listen no matter how irrational your thoughts may seem, they aren’t and I never want you to think that. Sometimes it will be your love for other people that helps to push you forward, and that is okay.

Your kindness will drive you but you will eventually learn where to draw the line and live a happy balanced life. You will try a LOT, you will constantly be trying new things and often time you will be succeeding while often time you will be failing. Some people see failure as a weakness though I assure you it is not. Never be scared to be bad at something, it is that what makes you push harder. If anything, just learn from the experience you have been given.  I challenge you to learn something new every day.

Collage by Zoe Byland

Let everything be a lesson.

There will be a LOT of information thrown at you, both consciously and sub-consciously in the world today, but you will be smart enough to know the good from the bad. When you hear a lesson loud and clear, learn from it. Don’t just repeat it; actually learn from it. So many people say things like “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” yet still, no one ever knows what they have until it is in fact gone, so try to be thankful when something makes you smile.

Whether it seems like a funny picture quote, or a beautiful lyric, the message came from somebody, and they want you to learn from it.  So take that opportunity, and use it to teach others. Please dear children, when you get something you ask for, never take it for granted. As you’ll be told time and time again, there are people less fortunate than us. Never play a victim, love; you’re stronger than you think.

Never be afraid to share your opinion, it is your freedom.

Not everyone is going to agree with you. Remember that there will be negative people trying to sway your respectful opinions, and positive people trying to help you educate the damage done by negativity. Despite every single person telling you something different, never be afraid of saying what you believe. Out loud. You don’t have to choose what or who to believe right away, dear child whatever you do, listen. Just because you have your opinion does not mean it is right, you must listen to others as well.

Educate yourself before you discriminate against anything or anyone. From something that seems so simple as someone’s taste in food or music, to as important as someone’s religion or beliefs, because who are we, dear children, to be so ignorant to think that our choice is the correct one when there are so many others in clear vision? Just as you are, everyone is taught differently.

We are so lucky to have the knowledge of even knowing this information, but some people have forgotten that. There is still so much more to learn, never be afraid to remind people to be thankful, sometimes it needs to be pointed out.

Never judge people because just as they do not know all about you, you do not know all about them. What you see on the outside is not always the true story. Some people lie to seem better, and some people might lie to seem worse. Let’s instead, help people help each other, just because we don’t agree with some people doesn’t mean we can’t hope to find something to relate with them. We can all learn and we can all listen. Just to point out, my dear future children; most of the people who got to read this before you do not know who I am.

They do not know my gender, race, background, education, career, hair color, eye colour, weight, diet, age, citizenship, sexual preference or family history…yet they are still reading.  Whether it has taught them many things, or nothing at all, they read it. They don’t know if you will be adopted, or even exist…but something about my letter to you made them listen. I hope if anything, dear future; that this gives you hope, for real true equality, respect, love and hope.

Be a good human, dear children, that’s all I’ve really asked.

—

Submitted to ArtParasites by Freelance Human

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