Michael Leung, A letter he wrote to his son
Something I would like to share with whoever out there that reads my blog. In case you are wondering what the hell I am doing reading someone else's personal letter, well I got this article from a friend. Well he wasn't digging in Michael Leung's personal things. It was a forwarded email.
But then again, I wonder where the person who originally mailed this message got it from. Hmmmm....... uh-oh!!
Who cares anyway, as long as you get to read this letter and see how beautifully the message is written!!!
"Michael Leung is a renowned radio personality in Hong Kong. He is also a child psychologist.
"Michael Leung is a renowned radio personality in Hong Kong. He is also a child psychologist.
This is a letter that Michael Leung had written to his son. I was extremely moved after reading it. It’s not only good to show to one’s son, but it’s also a good read for everyone!"
My son,
I’m writing this memo to you based on three principles:
1. Life is unpredictable. No one knows how much longer we can live. So it’s better that I talk to you about certain important things now.
2. I am your father. If I don’t talk to you about these important truths of life, I’m afraid no one else will.
3. Every thought here is derived from my own excruciating failures. It is meant to help you grow without having to learn it the hard way.
1. Don’t be too worried about those who haven’t been good to you. No one is obligated to treat you well, besides your mom and I. As for those who are kind to you, cherish them, be grateful, but also beware of them. This is because everyone does everything for a reason. If someone is good to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she truly likes you. You need to be able to see beyond that. There’s no need to treat he or she as your true friend in no time.
2. No one is irreplaceable, and nothing is indispensable. With this in mind, one day when you lose your beloved or even all the things that you can’t live without, you would know that that is no big deal.
3. Life is short. Today you might still be wasting away your life, tomorrow you’ll find out that life has already left. So, the earlier you begin seeing life in this light and savoring it, the longer you would be able to enjoy your life. Don’t wish for longevity. Instead, start taking pleasure in your life right now.
4. There is no such thing as the supreme love. Love is at best a fleeting sensation. It will definitely change as time passes, and as your attitude alters. If your so-called beloved has decided to leave, please be patient. Wait. Let the time cleanse your mind, and let the soul sink in a bit. You pain will gradually fade. Don’t hold on to any unrealistic hope for Love’s beauty; neither should you exaggerate the pain when love is gone.
5. Even though many high achievers aren’t highly educated, it doesn’t mean that you are going to succeed without having to study diligently. The knowledge you gain is the weapon in your possession. We human beings can prosper without any support or social networks, but we can’t go anywhere without a tool/weapon in our hands. Keep this in mind!
6. I won’t expect you to provide for me my whole life, and vice versa, I’m not going to provide for you throughout your entire life. When you are grown and become independent, my parental duties are finished. From then on, your outlook in life will solely depend on you--whether you would take the humble bus or drive a beaming Mercedes Benz; whether you would be rich enough to drink the shark fin soup every day, or that you would end up so poor you can only afford the glass noodle. It’s totally your call.
7. You can expect yourself to be faithful to others, but you can’t demand others to be faithful to you. You can treat others with good will, but you can’t expect others to return the favor. How you have been treating others will not necessarily result in their reciprocity. If you can't see this point, you'll be baffled by unnecessary worries.
8. I’ve been buying the lottery tickets for nearly twenty years now, but until today I am still poverty-stricken. Not even once had I won the third prize. This proves that if we want to get rich, we can only get there by working diligently. There’s no free lunch in this world.
9. All family members are selected by fate-- once in infinity. No matter how long we can live together in this world, please cherish the time we spend together, for in our next lives, regardless of whether we love or no longer love each other, chances are that we will never see each other again.
Your Dad,
My son,
I’m writing this memo to you based on three principles:
1. Life is unpredictable. No one knows how much longer we can live. So it’s better that I talk to you about certain important things now.
2. I am your father. If I don’t talk to you about these important truths of life, I’m afraid no one else will.
3. Every thought here is derived from my own excruciating failures. It is meant to help you grow without having to learn it the hard way.
1. Don’t be too worried about those who haven’t been good to you. No one is obligated to treat you well, besides your mom and I. As for those who are kind to you, cherish them, be grateful, but also beware of them. This is because everyone does everything for a reason. If someone is good to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she truly likes you. You need to be able to see beyond that. There’s no need to treat he or she as your true friend in no time.
2. No one is irreplaceable, and nothing is indispensable. With this in mind, one day when you lose your beloved or even all the things that you can’t live without, you would know that that is no big deal.
3. Life is short. Today you might still be wasting away your life, tomorrow you’ll find out that life has already left. So, the earlier you begin seeing life in this light and savoring it, the longer you would be able to enjoy your life. Don’t wish for longevity. Instead, start taking pleasure in your life right now.
4. There is no such thing as the supreme love. Love is at best a fleeting sensation. It will definitely change as time passes, and as your attitude alters. If your so-called beloved has decided to leave, please be patient. Wait. Let the time cleanse your mind, and let the soul sink in a bit. You pain will gradually fade. Don’t hold on to any unrealistic hope for Love’s beauty; neither should you exaggerate the pain when love is gone.
5. Even though many high achievers aren’t highly educated, it doesn’t mean that you are going to succeed without having to study diligently. The knowledge you gain is the weapon in your possession. We human beings can prosper without any support or social networks, but we can’t go anywhere without a tool/weapon in our hands. Keep this in mind!
6. I won’t expect you to provide for me my whole life, and vice versa, I’m not going to provide for you throughout your entire life. When you are grown and become independent, my parental duties are finished. From then on, your outlook in life will solely depend on you--whether you would take the humble bus or drive a beaming Mercedes Benz; whether you would be rich enough to drink the shark fin soup every day, or that you would end up so poor you can only afford the glass noodle. It’s totally your call.
7. You can expect yourself to be faithful to others, but you can’t demand others to be faithful to you. You can treat others with good will, but you can’t expect others to return the favor. How you have been treating others will not necessarily result in their reciprocity. If you can't see this point, you'll be baffled by unnecessary worries.
8. I’ve been buying the lottery tickets for nearly twenty years now, but until today I am still poverty-stricken. Not even once had I won the third prize. This proves that if we want to get rich, we can only get there by working diligently. There’s no free lunch in this world.
9. All family members are selected by fate-- once in infinity. No matter how long we can live together in this world, please cherish the time we spend together, for in our next lives, regardless of whether we love or no longer love each other, chances are that we will never see each other again.
Your Dad,
Michael Leung Kai Cheung
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