Lines from the transcript of the phone call to my little brother:
1. It’s exactly 11:11, PM, or AM; it doesn’t matter because wishes do come true anyway if you want them to. You will grow up one day, and you will experience moments when your hopes are shattered, when your heart feels like that one building from a superhero movie that everyone blasts down. But I want you to know that it’s okay to fall apart.
2. One day, you will have to pay your rent and clear your bills. You might have to dissolve a Disprin tablet into your neural network on a scorching May noon. Your hair will fall, and you will panic about it, but trust me, it’s fine to feel helpless about the things you can’t save. It’s okay to not have enough summer left inside you to feel the heat.
3. Here’s the thing: there are no fairy tales. Life is hard. It will throw you off the cliff, and you will reach out in despair. When that happens, I want you to know that holding onto whatever is reachable is not selfish.
4. The movie tickets in your pocket, which sheepishly smile when you lie to Dad about your study night spent with her at the theater, are a reminder that love sometimes demands to be hidden. Be at the place before the clock runs out of digits because love arrives when it has to. Wait for it.
5. You will feel alone. Many times. Even in the midst of people with their loud laughter and silent gossips. You will feel like the city you reside in is a ghost house filled with breathing humans. Embrace solitude. Don’t always seek crowds. It’s not in our family’s nature to ask for help when we need it the most. Please change that.
6. Don’t be afraid to hug the ones you don’t want to hug and to love the ones you want to hate, because sometimes kindness is the way to understand the people behind the faces you see.
7. Your sense of time and my sense of time might not always align. Remember that patience can heal many wounds.
8. Cherish the small moments. Life is not just about the big events but also about the everyday, ordinary moments that bring joy and meaning to our lives.
9. Don’t hold onto what’s gone. Things end. They have to. Just like this call.
10. I love you, and I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. You are never alone in this journey of life.
