A Letter to My Multicultural Daughters

My dear daughters,

As I gather my thoughts for writing this special letter to you, I can’t help but thinking back to when I first met you and wander off to the future, imagining you all grown up. I can’t help but wonder what kind of people you will become, the families of your own you might have.

I worry. As a mother, I worry if you can find your place in this world, if you are able to fulfill your unique purpose. Yet, I am confident that you will do your best to figure it out. Because you are smart and capable. Because I refuse to believe that you will allow yourselves be lost.

Growing up multicultural can’t be easy. While we don’t ever have clashes of cultures at home between us, your parents, you face an identity crisis every time you are asked where you are from. Every time you open your mouth and respond in one of the languages. People look at you and judge you by the color of your skin, hair and eyes; by your behaviour and your knowledge.

My dear girls, I can’t possibly prepare you for every single situation you encounter in your lives. But I can give you the basics, help you lay a strong foundation for growing to be an honourable world citizen, a decent human being.

Growing up multicultural can’t be easy. But there are so many advantages to that: you get to immerse in various cultures,  observe traditions; and learn to respect and accept people are they are. You get to learn more than one language, think and function in those languages, switch between them easily.  And most important, you get to choose, once you are old enough to understand your choices, your own  culture, build your own traditions. And you know why? Because that is how we are, your parents, who absorb the cultures around and try to take the best out of them and implement that best at home.

I hope, my darling daughters, that you grow up being proud of being women. For women are the strength of our society. Women are the first educators and women are the bearers of peace. And so, I wish for you to find the balance within yourself, and be proud of who you are. Don’t let yourselves fall into the trap of inferiority. For all people are equal and there is no one who can claim to be smarter or better based on their gender or social status.

I can’t claim to be, my dear girls, the most perfect mother. I am, after all, a mere human, a woman, just like you, just a bit older. But I am always there for you. I am here to guide you when you need guidance; to listen when you need to share; to laugh with you when you need a companionship; to cry with you when you are sad.

And so, my beautiful and smart girls, I wish that as you grow, you truly learn from your experiences. No, it won’t be easy. But you have me, and your father. And you have each other, and your brother. And there will always be people around you who will support you and offer their love and friendship.

Be the shining lamps. Be the brilliant stars. Illuminate the heart and the  souls of everyone you meet on your path, despite the race, culture, and citizenship.

I love you always.
Your mom

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