Letters I Write in My Head: A Mother to Her Son
10
Life Lessons I Want My College-Going Son to Carry Forward
The day my son
stepped into college, I realised something quietly profound: parenting is not
about holding on forever, but about letting go with values packed neatly in the
heart. As mothers, we often teach through reminders, worries, and food—but
beneath it all lies fierce love and silent prayers. These are the lessons I
hope my son carries with him into adulthood.
Lesson
1: Who You Are Will Speak Before You Do
Long before anyone asks what you
study or earn, they will notice how you treat people who can do nothing for
you. Carry yourself gently. Character is not taught in classrooms; it is
revealed in small, unguarded moments.
Lesson 2: Freedom Is
a Skill You Must Learn
Living away from home will feel
intoxicating at first. But freedom without discipline quickly becomes chaos.
Learn to plan your days, respect your limits, and clean up your own
messes—literal and emotional.
Lesson
3: Falling Is Allowed. Staying Down Is Not
You will make mistakes I cannot
prevent. That is not failure; that is growing. Our home does not measure worth
by uninterrupted success, but by the courage to begin again without bitterness.
Lesson
4: Your Lesson in Respect - Is Your Sister
Before the world teaches you how to
treat women, you learned it at home. Listen to your sister even when you
disagree. Let her opinions matter. Your masculinity does not diminish when you
make space for her voice—it matures.
Lesson
5: One Day, She Will Be Your Strongest Constant
Life will scatter friendships and
change addresses, but your sister will remember your shared childhood even when
the world forgets you. Protect that bond. Time is kind to siblings who stay
kind to each other.
Lesson
6: Choose Companionship Over Crowd Approval
Not everyone who sits beside you
belongs beside you. Walk with people who encourage honesty, effort, and
empathy. Loneliness with integrity is better than company that hollows you out.
Lesson 7: Strength Is the Ability to Speak When It’s Hard
You do not have to carry everything
silently. Confusion, fear, and exhaustion do not make you weak—they make you
human. Reach out. Strong men build bridges, not walls.
Lesson
8: Learn to Care for Yourself Before You Promise to Care for Others
Cook simple meals. Wash your
clothes. Budget your money. Independence is not a gendered virtue; it is basic
adulthood. The man who can manage his life brings peace into others’ lives.
Lesson
9: Achievement Means Little Without Anchors
Ambition will push you forward;
relationships will hold you steady. Stay connected to your sister, your family,
your roots. Success feels lighter when shared.
Lesson
10: You Will Always Have a Place to Return To
Go chase the life you imagine.
Change, grow, stumble. But remember—there is a home that does not demand
explanations, a father whose pride is not conditional, a sister who knows your
past, and a mother whose heart beats for you, prays for you.
“You chose me to be your mother, and
I am proud of you every single moment.”
Love Maa!