If you read this letter one day, it will mean that probably I am not on your side. I probably am not near you while you almost fall asleep, to sing you lullabies; to brush your hair lightly while reciting magical tales from the faraway lands. I'm afraid, when you read this, I am thousand miles beyond our home. But, my dear, you will know by this letter of how much I love you. And how much it tears my heart apart, knowing that you can't see by your eyes a father who loves you and who is fond of you.
Dear love,
Your dad is not a man who always acts as he thinks best nor remains faithful to his dreams. And worse still, not only my dreams, but I also sacrifice you and your mom. By now you might often wonder, "Why is my dad not here like my friends' dads?" And I can only think of how painful you think of our family as incomplete. Or how you are longing for the chances that we go to the zoo together, laughing at the clumsy giraffe, or perhaps complaining why they have to keep the tiger inside the steel cage when you think it should belong to the African jungle as you read it on the book.
Dear my beloved daughter,
The truth is, your father is the tiger. Locked in a steel cage called "job". As the tiger trade its freedom to roam the jungle so that the zookeepers have money for their family to buy food, your dad gave away his freedom so that our family have money, too. For you, for your mom, and occasionally for your grandparents. But unlike the tiger who is there against its will, I gave it to the government by choice.
Right now you probably are mad at me. Perhaps thinking of how silly I am to give up my dreams. I can understand that, dear. But I don't expect you to understand my decision. Instead, of this I tell you, let me be locked, but you must be there free in the jungle. Do not let them lock your dreams. Be the fiercest tigress ever in the jungle.
You must remember, that even though the tiger is locked, you must not thoughtlessly go near it, as it may hurt you. It may be locked, but at its mind it is still tiger, with its ferocious quality. And so is dad still keeps some of his dreams with him. Nothing can prevent dad from thinking about things beyond my measly job as government officer. So should you, dear, since the world is not your limit. You must think beyond that. You must go beyond the stars to the edge of the universe. Do not stop learning. Do not stop reading, even though I am not there to guide you. Be always curious of how this world works. One day, when I come home, I will tell you of how wonderful this universe is. I hope you will be interested by it, and build your dreams from it. And only by keeping and fulfilling your dreams you can be the best tigress, even much much better than dad and mom. Of this I endlessly hope for you.
Dear love,
To be the best tigress in the jungle, remember, you must be humble. Be kind and compassionate to others, especially to those who are weak and oppressed. Be sensitive to injustice committed against anyone anywhere in this world. You must - at the words of a poet, Rudyard Kipling - be able to talk with common people and keep your goodness and walk with kings without losing your humility. Do not dislike people because of their skin colors, or where they come from. Do not hate persons because of their religions, or because they love person with the same genders unlike your dad loves your mom. Do not like to avenge, forgive those who hurt you instead.
Be the best not because I told you to, but be the best because of you yourself think that this is good. You may not be proud of your dad's unimportant job, but you must be proud of yourself as I am always and always will be proud of you.
The jungle there awaits for you, dear. And soon, the stars above.
Give my kisses and hugs to mom.
With love,
Dad
:')
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