Dear Son,
I’m glad I’ve been able to keep up with writing to you—it goes to show that when someone sets their mind to something, it can be done. This past week, a friend of mine welcomed a baby boy—such a beautiful child—and it instantly made me think of you. I can’t wait for the day I finally get to hold you in my arms.
The past couple of weeks have been filled with good news, and for that, I’m deeply grateful. One of the highlights was getting a call from someone I hadn’t heard from since 2020—my friend’s younger brother. His call brought back a powerful memory.
Back in 2019, he reached out and asked if I could go with him to fix his phone at Computer Village in Lagos. I understood his concern—Computer Village can be risky. Theft and scams are all too common, and it’s not the kind of place you want to navigate alone. His elder brother—my friend—was out of the country at the time, so I stepped in like an older brother would.
On our way back, we got into a deep conversation. He opened up to me about how lost and discouraged he felt. He had graduated over two years earlier and was still struggling to find a job. He felt like he had no direction. I could relate all too well—2019 was one of the hardest years of my life. So I told him not to give up. I reminded him that it’s often darkest before dawn, and that even though he couldn’t see it then, better days were ahead. I encouraged him to stay the course and reminded him how far he had already come. That day, he promised me he wouldn’t give up, no matter what. I told him he could always reach out whenever he needed to talk.
Fast forward to this week—he called to share some amazing news: he had just received a fully-funded scholarship for his Master’s in the UK. He’s leaving in a month. He reminded me of that conversation we had on the bus, and how it stayed with him all this time. I had honestly forgotten about it—but he hadn’t. And that meant everything to him.
The truth is, we live in a world where so many people are consumed by their own lives. Empathy has become rare. More often than not, people only show concern after someone is gone, or in the midst of tragedy. But if we all made a little more effort to see and support others, the world would be a far better place. You’d be surprised by the silent battles people fight behind their smiles. That’s why kindness should never be something we reserve for special occasions—it should be part of who we are. You don’t have to know what someone is going through before you choose to be kind. Sometimes, a simple word or gesture can shift the course of someone’s life.
So, my dear son, I want kindness and empathy to be your default. Let them guide the way you treat others—strangers and loved ones alike. You may never fully grasp the impact of your words or presence in someone’s life—but trust me, they matter.
I’ll pause here for now, but I’ll write again soon.
With love,
Dad