路维的吧台

 

Dec. 26, 2016

 

My dear Nemo,

 

I am filled with happiness when I write this letter to you as a coming-of-age present. We owe your teachers a debt of gratitude for this excellent idea. There are so many things I wish to say to you.

 

The first thing I want to let you know is that I love you. No words could express how proud I am to be your father. You are an honest, happy and healthy boy, cute and smart. Both mom and I wish to thank you for the wonderful joy you have brought to us every day of the past 18 years. These beautiful memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

 

Time flies as fast as an arrow. I still remember the day when you were born. As an innocent boy, you relied on mom and me to make decisions for you. All these years I have become used to giving you instructions and sometimes harsh orders. Now that you have grown up, those instructions and suggestions are no longer needed that much. Frankly, it has taken me some time to get used to this new situation. I even feel lost and disappointed sometimes. However, I am happy to know you have got your own ideas now and you are becoming an independent man responsible for his own decisions. It is amazing. I want to let you know that I never attempted to gain satisfaction by forcing my ideas upon you, as you sometimes said when you got annoyed. Certainly, there were occasions when I had to say things you didn’t want to hear but those things were what I, as a responsible parent, must say. I wanted to help you and share my life experience with you, so that you might avoid the mistakes and pitfalls I had encountered at your age. I am happy to say you are much smarter than me and you will enjoy a much brighter future.

 

Dear Nemo, the world you were born into is changing rapidly. You belong to a lucky generation that enjoys freedom, convenience and creativity of which we experienced so little when we were young. However, this is a world full of competition and adverse circumstances, for which you must get prepared as soon as you can.

 

How can a young man integrate himself successfully into the society? Everyone has his own approach. As your parent, I would like to share with you some of my advice.

 

Firstly, ask yourself these three questions from time to time: Who I am? Where I am from? Where I am going? Being an adult means more responsibilities. A boy may still enjoy the support and protection the world offers. A man, on the contrary, is the world that provides the support and protection. When you find answers to these three questions, you will have a better understanding of yourself and you will not get lost no matter how fast the world is changing.

 

Secondly, always think before speaking and never take things for granted. Making mistakes is a privilege that only a young person can enjoy. While he grows up, this privilege diminishes. When an adult makes a mistake, he will have to pay the price. You must learn to protect yourself. As long as you think well before speaking or taking actions, you will have a better chance to succeed and will encounter less obstacles along the way.

 

Thirdly, be an easy-going person. If you are in the habit of respecting people around you and tolerating their mistakes, you will make a lot of friends. Opportunities are also created and you will get help when you need it.

 

Fourthly, always be aware that your personal dignity and success rely on the dignity and success of your country. As a senior diplomat, I lived through the era when Chinese people were looked down upon by people from other countries. Now, with the eye-catching achievement our country has made over the years, Chinese people have been enjoying the respect of the whole world. An individual’s destiny is forever linked with his homeland. No matter where you are in the future, your connection to China will always be there, because you were born a Chinese. So, take good care of our country and do something to make her greater and stronger.

 

My dear son, when you turn 18 years old, you will be strong and confident enough to be independent. You will leave your parents someday in the future to lead your own life and pursue your own dream. Please do remember to share your stories with us, no matter how exciting or simple they are. Please also share your feelings, regardless of happiness or sorrow. We will always be there, like a harbor where you can relax and recover.

 

Please accept our warmest congratulations on this occasion of Coming-of-Age. I wish you all the best and happiness. With a warm and hearty HUG!

 

 

Your loving Dad