Letter to my sons

Dear Aditya & Raghav,
Raghav you were born just about a month ago and today when i look at both of you I feel the magic of life, of creation. Adu, when i held you in my arms for the first time I felt amazed at the fact that your mom and i had a part in creating life. The feeling came back when i held you, Raghav.
The world is going through difficult times. At the moment you are protected from it by your childhood, but over a period of time will be exposed to it. And when you do so i want you guys to be prepared for it.
So why am i writing this letter to you, when i know that one of you is just about learning to read and the other is just about getting to recognize people around? Well, it is a small lesson for myself, a checklist on what i can do to prepare you, and myself.
Before you guys were born, we would wonder if it was worth bringing a new life into this chaos, with the words terror and recession being spoken more than love and happiness. But we are happy that we didn't succumb to this pessimism and brought you two into this world.
Now we have an option of bringing you up in two ways - first we protect you from all that is happening around, de-sensitize you to the world the other is to prepare you (without making you pessimistic or cynical) for life.
The first was tried out in the case of Gautama Buddha and when the walls came down it was a big shock for the family.We cannot insulate you from the world forever and eventually you will come face to face with the world. At that point in your respective lives, I don't want you to run away from reality, I want you to stand up and face it.
So, it will be our endeavor to raise you while preparing you and giving you skills, not just to survive but to lead a happy life. We cannot imagine your future life but can show you a way to live happily in an uncertain world.
These are the lessons you should remember (and that we will try to raise you with) -
1. Life is precious - Life is the most precious thing you have, enjoy it.
2. Face Fear - never run away from fear. Face it and you will never be afraid. Remember everybody is afraid of something, the brave guys just know how to overcome their fear.
3. Easier wrong Vs Harder right - Lots of time in your life, you will come to junctions / decision points where you have to take a decision. Never take a decision just because it is the easier way out, in the long run it the right decision may be harder but will serve you better.
4. Never have regrets in life - refer the previous point; when you take a decision it is like an arrow which has left the bow. So dont regret any decision, remember it was the best you could. And it will invariably be for the good.
5. Look for happiness in small things. It is the small things in life which count. Don't go searching for happiness, happiness is a state of mind and the more you look for it the unhappier you will be.
6. Family is like a foundation. Whatever the situation, it is the family which will always stick with you. Remember to take any criticism from the family in the right spirit. In the same line remember that the family which eats together stays together.
7. Remember your brother is your best friend. Aditya it is your example that Raghav will follow. And Raghav, remember that Aditya is always there to look after you.
8. Get a job you love. It is something you will do for a major part of your life. It will not be worth it if you don't like your job. And in the same line remember that money isn't everything. It comes and goes what stays with you is your strength of character.
9. Enjoy good food and music. Never go on a diet to reduce. Exercise is the best way to stay fit. Have a physically and mentally active life and you will be happy.
10. Lastly and most importantly, follow your conscience. It is the surest way of distinguishing between right and wrong.

With these 10 pearls of wisdom, i wish you both all the very best in life. I sincerely hope that we are as good parents as your grandparents were for us. Remember that we are also learning as you two grow up, the two of you are our biggest teachers.
Lots of love
Dad