Letter to My Siblings

To Jordan, Jaden, and Anaiah








I hope this letter finds you all in good moods and good health. I am writing this letter in the year 2020, for you two open up either 20 years from now, or 20 minutes from now, either one works. I just want to tell you both a couple of things that you may or not be aware of yet.


The first thing I want you to do is to look around you. Right now. Look at your surroundings, then look beyond them, then keep going; everything in this life is attainable, even if the idea seems silly. If at some point you all decide that you want to abandon all of your worldly possessions and live in the mountains as monks for the rest of your life, then go for it! Go chase that spiritual and mental enlightenment! There really is no limit to what you can do in this life, so why not?


Actually, Mom might take up some issue with that, so it might be best to save that decision for when you’re eighteen. My point still stands, though.


The second thing I wish to tell you has to do with what you all want to be when you grow up. If becoming a monk is already set in stone, feel free to disregard this part.


If or when you decide to pursue a career, try not to let the desire for a high salary be the end-all be-all to choosing a profession. Someone once told me to try and combine what you’re good at with what you love.


I love music, and i’m pretty decent at writing, so bam! Music journalist.


Jaden, your drawings are honestly out of this world, and I hope that you continue to draw and sketch and doodle whenever you can. Maybe combine your interest in computers, drawing, and anime and turn the animation world on its head?


Jordan, considering the fact that you’re like 12 and can beat a bunch of twenty-somethings in Smash Bros is absolutely astounding. A career in professional gaming sounds cool!


Nai Nai, I could definitely see you as some sort of scientist, with how much you love making your own slime in your room!


These are just examples, of course, but my point is this: as long as you’re doing what you love, and you love what you do, you’ve made the right career choice, and no one can tell you otherwise.


My third point I cannot stress enough: before you go to college (should you choose to do so) or live on your own, LEARN TO COOK AND CLEAN. Please, for the love of everything decent! You’ll erase, like, sixty percent of the stress of being on your own if you know how to make your own food and do your own laundry. I’m not saying you have to be the next Ainsley Harriott, but at least learn the basics!


Pasta, water, boil, sauce, pan, simmer, done! Soap and warm water over the dishes, and boom! You’ve successfully cooked AND cleaned!


You think i’m being ridiculous until you’re away from home with an empty fridge and a sink full of dirty dishes. I’m speaking from experience. Trust me, you’re gonna need this.


My fourth point, and this may be one of my most important ones, is to try your best and be a good, genuine person. “Good” is a completely subjective term, but what I’m trying to say is basically what you both learned in school: treat others the way you wish to be treated. It honestly doesn’t get any more simple than that.


Just going through your life being an honest, genuine person will reward you handsomely in the long run. That means being considerate, empathetic, and kind to people, even when they may not do the same to you (but I’ll let you be the judge of whether those people deserve such luxuries or not).


My fifth and final point, and please take these last two to heart, is to feel free to take any of my pieces of advice with a grain of salt, if need be. Remember, I can’t force you to live your life the way I want you to, and neither can anyone else. If you decide you don’t want to go to college, that’s just as fine as deciding that you do! If you decide you don’t want to learn to cook and clean, that’s also perfectly fine!
A little gross, but still fine nonetheless!


If anything, I want you to know that life is one hundred percent what you choose to make of it. Do with that information what you will, just don’t kill anyone unless you reeeeeally have to.


Have fun!





With lots of love,





Nikasi Doorn