To our dearest sons - Dhuha & Ilhan,
We hope that sometimes you would not mind wearing used clothes, eating homemade
ice cream and leftover dishes, for there are children in the world who never get
the taste of new clothes on their skin, and who almost have nothing to eat - far from having any chocolate or ice cream treat
Later, when you have to share a bedroom with your brother, it's all
right to draw a line down in the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the
covers with you because he is scared or because he would like to tell you his problem - we hope you'll let him
When you want to see a Disney movie or play out in the field and your brothers and sisters want to tag along, we hope you take them
We hope you enjoy the smell of the grass and fresh air outside better than computer games and the TV. We hope you enjoy reading books, and when you learn to use hi-tech gadgets and computers, you also learn how to add and subtract manually in your head
We hope you learn to make your bed, do laundry and wash the car - and we hope nobody gives you a brand-new car when you are 18
We hope you learn progress through your mistakes, you learn humility when facing humiliation and that you learn honesty when cheated
We hope you would not mind getting a scratch for fighting for something you believe in
May you feel the joy of holidays
May you feel the sorrow of funerals
May we punish you when you attempt bad and nasty things;
May you distinguish between bad deeds and the good ones
May we hug you and kiss you when you repent and do good; may you learn to forgive and being forgiven
These things we wish for you sons - good times, happiness, and hard work, with a dose of tough times and disappointment; for all these will make you a great man when you grow up.
Remember sons, we love you very much!
