Letter To My Friends

 

Family is measured by the unit of love and safety one finds in the arms of another.

Fathers may fail us.

Mothers may fail us.

Siblings may fail us.

But then a friend comes along... He comes out reckless, strong, with a

 shoulder to lean on. A friend who sticks closer than a brother. Through 

thick and thin... Through storm and calm, he's there.

A friend who never learnt how to... But he heals the traumas, erases the pain,

 wipes away the tears, and hugs away the fears. He suddenly becomes your

 father, mother, sister, brother, and comrade, never complaining or

 grumbling.

He never stands by and watches you fall. Together, you build something 

huge. Something magnificent. Something humongous, in which competition

 is alien and rivalry is ousted.

My people, can we be friends?

Dear reader, I ask in tenderness... Would you be my friend? Can I count 

on you, just as you should be able to count on me?

If I come, would you receive me? If I call, would you come to me?

If I thirst for your love and affection, would you care?

If I stretch out my arm... Would you hold me?

Can I lean on you when I'm cold, or when my heart is wrenched by the storms of life?

One of the finest gifts life could bestow is the gift of a friend.

When hatred comes knocking, would you turn it away?

When disappointments kick in, would you be gracious to me?

When I cause you pain, would you forgive me?

When I shrink, would you hold on to me?

Would you forget me and all the sacrifices I made when my soul departs 

from this world, or would you remember me?

Would you speak of me with high esteem... And silence every evil speaker?

Would you rehearse my legacy?

Imagine what the world could be if we all learned to befriend each other.

What a blessing it would be to have me walk by your side, and an honour

 to have stood by yours.

My friends, if we come together... We can build our nation and make it the

 pride of the continent. We could build our country and stop lusting after

 others'. We could put in the work and do our parts.

A great man once said, "If all of us have done little, we have all done much."

If I do my part and you do yours, we would be steps closer to the perfect

 world our children deserve.

The first step is to believe. That what? That there is hope. For what? For our

 nation. If you sing, and I write, and someone else speaks, and someone

 mobilizes a mammoth crowd, we could have one voice... A voice that's

 powerful enough to inspire and shake the world.

If I could stand up, and you hold my hand, while I hold on to another's... 

We could form an alliance powerful enough to birth a noble force.

My friend, I am dialing your number. Pick up the phone, answer The Call.

Put aside thoughts that make you feel small. A man is as small as his

 thoughts make him. There's nothing small about you. We are all peculiar

 in our own ways.

Beat your chest and declare, "I would never be intimidated by anyone."

Once more, declare, "I am enough. I am everything. I am priceless and special."

And when a friend makes you feel small, shove it aside and genuinely

 applaud his success. When you're happy for others, you'd never be small

 because the next door success knocks on would be yours.

So my friends, if we genuinely support one another, and have a dream, 

no force, however formidable, can stop us. That is the power of unity.

I'm not scared you'd hurt me. My heart is big enough to hold you and your

 flaws. I do not, for a moment, choose to believe that you'd betray me...

 Because my bank of forgiveness is sufficient.

If I were to be guilty of anything, it would be that I loved you to a fault. And

 that's fine.

So then, do you answer The Call?

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