Dearest Tahlia

Congratulations on the beginning of a very exciting chapter of your young life, from Mom & Dad’s baby to adolescence. It is a time of both disorientation, independence, and self-discovery.

It was exactly 50 years ago when I was 13 years old. I remembered it was the happiest times of my life, the friendship that I made then I still cherished and still connected with, and you have met two of them (Auntie Margaret) when we visited you in 2014, and Auntie Lydia at our 40th-anniversary dinner. I was also a “prankster” in those days, (It later blossom into a career: ) all clean fun though, all my victims still love me to this day ( I hope, I know for sure Kai Gong-Gong does ! ). Therefore, dear Tahlia, my advice to you is “don’t do as I do, just do as I say, study every day“, as I learned years later that knowledge is power !!

Joking aside, I have so much confidence in you that you will excel in everything you do, of which you have proven it so far, and will continue to succeed in every phase of your journey ahead of you. I know you could do anything you set your mind to, I believe in you and want to teach you to believe in yourself. Here’s a quote from Abraham Lincoln I want to share with you:

“ The best way to predict the future is to create it! “

Challenges are also part of growing up too. You will face with many choices of peer group, social life, interests, schoolwork, dreams, and appearance. You are one very lucky girl in this respect, you have the most loving and intelligent parents who would always be there for you, protect you from harm and help you make the right decisions. They will also prepare you emotionally to stand up for yourself and social competence to meet every challenge. You also lived in a very different world than I was as a teenager, today’s electronic age has its pros and cons, there is much cyber bullying, negativity, and jealousy going on, it is very damaging to a young mind. But then, I do have a solution to counter this high tech problem with a high-tech approach, you can choose to “delete” any hazardous relationship, language or material by the touch of your fingertips, isn’t it fun!

Tahlia dear, I am so proud to watch you grow up to be a beautiful and intelligent girl you are today. I am always so touched by your kind heart, by your sensitive spirit, your compassion in life and in people. Our world is a world of abundance, there is no scarcity, love creates an opening to endless possibilities, it is such a powerful tool, Tahlia, you are a natural in showing your love to others, without reservation and judgment, I have no doubt this quality will bring serve you well in whatever you do in your future.

On your 13th birthday, I wished you live a life of love, simplicity, peace and happiness (all these virtues are my believes in life), may your life be sweet and life is kind to you always. I will end my love letter to you with a few quotes from my favorite people:

“what you think of me is none of my business”

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud”

“Our life is a story, and we are the author of our own story”

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun” (sorry Janly, you may not like this One: )

Oh, I just remember this poem, I could not resist

to send it to you as well:

Do all the good you can

By all the means you can

In all the ways you can

In all the places you can

At all the times you can

To all the people you can

As long as ever you can

Tahlia, I know you can !!

With all my heart and all my love

Kai Poh-Poh