Thank you, son.

　Son, today is your 20th birthday. I'm typing these words to greet you on your birthday in the faraway "Land of a Thousand Islands", under the pure blue sky and white clouds, with the fragrant morning breeze of jasmine.

　　The days have passed so quickly. Twenty years ago today, your bottomless cries and pink face gave your mother the happiest feeling in her life. The heartfelt emotion and joy seem to have never gone away, but it's been twenty years now. On your twentieth birthday, mom is far away from home, writing these words as a birthday gift to you.

　　First of all, I want to thank you for giving me hope. You are the one who continues my life and beauty and makes my mom's life more meaningful. You gave me the joy and happiness of being a mother; you also gave me the confidence and courage to resist all hardships. With you, mommy has a brand new life.

　　Secondly, mommy thanks you for your understanding. You seldom cried when you were little, you hardly ever got sick since you were little, and you were very conscious even when you pooped. When you went to kindergarten, you hung a key around your neck and begged passers-by to open the door for you or to get in and out from under the door, and you helped your mother cook porridge and rice. When you came back from your evening study, you were all covered with dirt and you were already asleep in bed alone, so I don't know how much it hurt my mom.

　　In elementary school, you were naughty and active and refused to study hard. In the afternoons, you secretly caught dragonflies and played with water, and on Sundays, you ran around like crazy. Now that I think about it, I feel very remorseful and scared. What could be more important than children, so that you have experienced so many "thrills"? But once you talked about this, you said easily that mommy gave you a free childhood and you were happy. Mom knows you must be afraid of mommy's guilt and regret to comfort her. Son, mommy thanks you for your tolerance and understanding.

　　When you were in middle school, you were once addicted to "Fantasy West", and mom tossed around the Internet cafe at midnight again and again to find you, came home to scold you, beat you, and hurt you; you also bumped into mom again and again and stayed out all night. Mom felt so devastated at that time. Now I think it was all my fault. I did not guide you well, I did not care enough, I did not understand enough, and I let you get addicted to the Internet world. I didn't understand your heart, enter your world, and share your pain, so you went through so much suffering and struggle at such a young age. Thankfully, you were smart enough to wake up after the ups and downs of the midterm.

　　All experiences are treasures. Now you can laugh at your classmates as you did back then and stay out of the way, and can warn them about the pitfalls and futility of the game, which makes mom feel good.

　　I've been trying to get through high school on my own, step by step. I was not able to help you a little bit, maybe it was ignorance or maybe it was nobility. Except for cooking and laundry, there was nothing I could do. But you with their persistent efforts, integrity, and optimism, stumbling, all the way to the current university. You always said that you succeeded by your intelligence. Mom knows; you have also worked very hard. Thank you, son! What a great comfort and pride you give a mother who is a teacher! Mom thanks you for your hard work and success.

　　Now, you are a sophomore in college. Sunny, kind, and decent, you open an online store and do tutoring ...... to experience a different life. No matter success or failure, mommy supports you and is proud of you.

　　You said that mom is your guiding light on the road of life, in fact, mom just did the minimum thing a mother can do, and many places have not done well. Mom thanks you for your generosity, simplicity, and understanding.

　　You are the first person to send flowers to mom, the first person to buy her real gold jewelry, and the first person to send her fruit cake. The first one who grabbed and did housework with mom ...... You gave mom the happiness of being a mother, the joy of being a mom, and the success of being a woman.

　　Thank you, my son. Twenty years have passed, twenty years are too long and too short. Mom's writing and thoughts have been far below yours, and mom's views and insights are far behind, but mom still wants to chatter a few words.

　　I hope my son is as honest and kind as ever. Goodness and integrity are the sunshine that shines on yourself and others. The snowball of quick success is a snowball that may get bigger and bigger in the short term, but sooner or later it will melt.

　　I hope my son will still be diligent and upwardly mobile. No matter whether study or work, "the way of heaven rewards hard work" cannot be forgotten. Tomorrow's success depends on today's efforts because you have no choice but to rely on yourself.

　　Son, on your 20th birthday today, mom can't use the first money you earn to buy mom real gold jewelry and send her a surprise; nor can she cook a few fine meals to enjoy the warmth of home like she did in previous years to celebrate your birthday. I'm sending you a blessing from a thousand miles away, wishing you good health and happiness forever!