My dear M,

As much as i want to protect you from this harsh and cruel world, i just can't. I have a life, too, you know. It's not about me being selfish but i want you to understand that when you were born, you are really born alone. Scary isn't it? But let me tell you a secret--- life wants us to be scared of him. And we being our ownselves shouldn't be intimidated by that thought, instead, we should just relish it and break the bully that is life. How? By just being ourselves. 

So let me tell you now, our greatest gift to the world is ourselves. We just have to be us because we just have to. Stop pretending. You don't want to live in a fictionalized life because it's not beautiful and it's hazardous to our health. If you like classic music then by all means soak up on Mozart and Bach even if some people would dismiss your taste as archaic, who cares? sabi ko nga... even the Carebears don't care. Everything that makes you happy begins with just being yourself. And when you are happy, you see joy in other people too and then you start to connect and be human.

Now on the connection part, you must always respect them. Not in the way that you say po and opo. Respect everything about them, their space, their time, their work and whatever intangible things that needs to be given allowance for. Give people their share of life and worth. They have lives too. And always say sorry if you disrespect them.

One thing more and this you must also put in mind since, let's say, you have established a network of friends and colleagues. You must understand that NO ONE CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO. On your way, you'll experience lots of people talking about other people, telling you this and that. Do it your way if it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out that's it. It's simple. And it's that simple i tell you. People like affirming themselves by telling people things that they think can be true. Who cares if Gabriel Garcia Marquez told you that you can't write? lot of people will, but just chuck it.

And another, read. Yes. Read. As in open a book and read. You'll understand more about people. You'll be more open. You'll be a much better person after every book, i tell you.
I used to think that characters on TV who just can't accept that they're adopted just don't read.  I know of a very narrow minded and immature person who can't stand a book. Also, it depends on the book or the reading material, because some books take neurons away in your brain.

When i was young, i always liked playing outside and I never read because i think it was kinda geeky and boring. Poodrah told me to read and shoved a book in my face. He gave me Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate when i was 12 years old. I was soaring. I loved it. I wanted more. I felt like i was playing patintero in Chile. That's why i never liked Twilight.

Anyway, just don't take things literally here. There are a lot of situations where you can apply this.
Am i sounding like Deepak Chopra? Just chuck it.

And if this helps even though cliche... I love you to bits!