A Message to My Parents

O my mother, O my father
You think you are only teaching me to walk, to talk, to eat and drink…
But no
You are writing within me the art of living itself.
I am but a blank page,
and every word, every action of yours
is an ink stroke that shapes my being.
Your words, your tone, your silence
they all become part of who I am.
What you show, I become.
What you do even when you think I’m not watching
I learn quietly, completely.
Mother, your patience and your tenderness;
Father, your justice and honesty
these are the rivers that flow through my soul.
If you poison them with falsehood,
do not expect flowers to bloom
for only thorns will grow within me.
You think if I lie, cheat, or take what isn’t mine,
it will be my fault?
No.
It will be the first mistake that began in your hands.
Because I am the harvest
that springs from the seeds you have sown.
Remember
A sapling can be shaped when it is young,
but a full-grown tree cannot be bent.
If you wish to see me walk the path of truth,
then you must first walk it yourselves.
For when a father is corrupt,
the child becomes worse
but when a father is honest,
the child carries the fragrance of faith.
So, my dear parents,
if you wish to see me upright and pure,
then set your own direction right today.
Because when I lose my way tomorrow,
you will not only feel the pain
you will face the reflection of your own upbringing.