Miaka kumi na moja iliyopita, mama wa kazi aliyejawa na hatia alianza safari ya kuandika barua ambayo ingebadilisha maisha yake - na binti yake - milele. Sasa, maneno yake maalum yanaenea kwa kasi.
Yote ilianza wakati Skylar Gould alipokuwa darasa la sita. Kila siku, Skylar alikuwa akifungua kisanduku chake cha chakula cha mchana kwa shauku ili kupata barua iliyoandikwa kwa upendo na mkono wa mama yake. Ilikuwa ni njia yao maalum ya kuendelea kushikamana.
Mama yake Skylar, Stephanie, alikuwa ameanza kazi ya kutwa kama mkurugenzi wa masoko wa Chief Supermarket. Alihitaji njia ya kutoa ushauri maalum na uangalizi kwa binti yake mdogo, licha ya muda wake wa kukaa ofisini.
"Sidhani kama ushauri wowote ulikuwa wa msingi," Skylar alisema kwa the419 . "Nadhani kwa sababu tu ilikuwa inatoka ... mtu wa karibu sana na wewe, unaamini zaidi."
Ikawa, masaa marefu ya Stephanie na ushauri wake mtamu ulizaa matunda mazuri: Stephanie hatimaye akawa rais na Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Chief Supermarket, na Skylar alipata shahada yake ya uzamili katika mawasiliano ya kuona.
Ujumbe wa Skylar kwa akina mama? "Mambo hayo yamekwama ... Inaingia huko, inachukua miaka 23 tu kusikika."
"Wewe ni mtu mcheshi sana - acha hiyo iangaze wakati unashirikiana."

"Usiwe na haraka kuwahukumu wasichana shuleni - ni juu yako kutafuta kitu kizuri kwa kila mmoja."

"Jaribu usiruhusu dhihaka ikufikie. Wasichana hao watakuwa na wivu juu ya mafanikio yako."

"Usilaumu au kukosoa."

"Fanya kazi kwa bidii. Jiamini. Fanya kile kinachokufurahisha. Familia kwanza."

"Upendo kwa bidii na nguvu uwezavyo, hata ikimaanisha kumpenda mtu sana unapooza na woga ikiwa kitu kibaya kitamtokea."

"Ikiwa una mashaka juu ya hali, fuata silika yako - una uamuzi mzuri sana - na itakutumikia vyema."

"Hesabu baraka zako - sio shida zako."

"Usiweke hisa nyingi katika mazungumzo ya wajumbe - hakuna mbadala wa kuwa ana kwa ana."

"Endelea kufanya mazoezi kwa maisha yote - huweka ugonjwa mbali, hukuruhusu kuwa na nguvu na ujasiri."

"Tv nyingi zitaoza akili yako!"

"Kumbuka kukaa kimya unapokuwa na huzuni. Baba na mimi tuko hapa kukusikiliza. Kuwa na ucheshi kuhusu mambo yanayoendelea."

"Unapowauliza wavulana kufanya kazi au kusaidia - kuwa maalum - nini, wapi, lini, nk..."

"Mshikamane na mama yako hata kama ni MZEE! HA!"

"Heshimu mama na baba yako. Huenda usijisikie hivyo wakati wote, lakini utajua unafanya jambo la kweli na la thamani."

Katika mojawapo ya barua zake za mwisho kwa binti yake, mama Skylar aliacha kisanduku cha ushauri tupu. Kwa miaka 11, ilibaki wazi.

Lakini baada ya kuhitimu - Skylar alipoanza kazi yake na mama yake akiacha yake - hatimaye alikaribia kujaza sanduku tupu. "Jivunie mwenyewe na uwe na matukio yote unayotaka na unayostahili. Huu ni wakati mzuri sana kwako." Alimalizia, "Nakupenda sana! Siwezi kusubiri kuona ni wapi maisha yanatupeleka sote!"
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Great idea. I am going to start right now!
Why restrict it to kids? How about a loving message for your adult loved ones? A compliment, a joke you print out, a booster statement, or simply I Love You.
this is responded with much love in my heart; I have a different opinion on this. I read many of the notes as extra pressure on Skye. I also thought it rather ironic that Mom writes, "family first" while working a job that kept her away so much from those she loved. I do believe absolutely in women fulfilling their own dreams with work, I can't even imagine the balance she was trying to strike. I just found it ironic. Glad they made it through. I do think the letters were a lovely idea and that they kept it up for so long is wonderful. Here's to us telling those we love that we love them and showing it with our actions. <3
This really made my morning, what a great idea to keep in touch! :)
Thank you! This brought a tear to my eye. I use to do this when my son was in school. Not daily but when I thought he needed it, or I needed it. :-) Middle school is especially brutal and a time when kids need all the help and support they can get. I didn't know at the time if it helped but found out years later there was one note he still keeps in his wallet.