A Letter To A Daughter

                      

My Darling Child,

What can this 'ol Mother tell you? Remember the past, cry if you must, but keep the
laughter to the fore. The past you remember belongs to you and none other, who else
is there to keep these precious moments of your life alive but you?

The future, ah the future, those will 'o the wisp of occurrences that, despite all your
planning, scheming, hoping, and praying will still play out as some unseen Deity, or
even Fate, will dictate. So, one might think is there any point in trying to plan a
future. Should one shrug one's shoulders and leave it all in the laps of the Gods, or even
to chance, that's where, after all, our path through life seems to be decided anyway,
doesn't it? No! Never, because to do that would be tantamount to handing over our very
existence to the vagaries of circumstance.

We have to try our best, we have to do our best, we have to be our best in whatever
undertaking we endeavour to do. How else can we count our successes, how else can
we learn by the mistakes we make? How else can we improve that which goes into
making us better people, worthy people, loved and respected people?

Life will still see the bread land jam side down, but your attitude to these misfortunes is
what will see you through in the long run. So, the choice will always be yours, take
credit for your achievements when they are deserved, but never try to lay the blame of
woes at another's feet.

Remember, the cause of your misfortunes may just well be because you have spread
the jam on the wrong side of the bread!

I am, as always,
Your Loving Mother