My dear daughter,
Love is a many-splendored thing, and finding the one you love and who loves you in return may be a tall order but it happens all the time to most of us as it did between your mum and me. We have had 33 years of our ups and downs, but we are still together. God willing, we will be coasting along this yo-yo ride called love and relationship beyond our golden jubilee.
My dear as you seek for the one you love and who loves you in return, you will encounter many characters – men who have no iota of integrity and all they want to do is kiss the girls and make them cry. Learn how to spot them and keep your distance from them.
You will also encounter ladies who have had it very rough in their quest to find true love, and because of their experiences, they have become very bitter and cynical about love. They have grown very thick skins to protect themselves from being hurt; they have become “hard babes.” If you happen to broach the subject of love and loving, they will tell you not to go there – that there is no such thing as love between a man and a woman.
My dear, LOVE IS. I am sure you recall one of my favourite quotes from Desiderata which you have heard me repeat oftentimes: “Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.”
I pray darling that you will never have cause to be a “hard babe”. May your path to your true love be joyful and may you have the fortune to find your soul mate and live happily ever after.
Love you always.
Dad
