You and me, we're as close as a bunch if rocks floating in space around planet Saturn. If we collided, we soon rebounded, as we're going with the flow. To me, the distance isn't something sad, for which we should be regretful. The truth in my heart is that we were always lovingly and optimally purposeful toward one another, for all we did, and all we didn't share together. So, all things considered, our convened small talk, common verbiage and shared moods was probably as strong as the silences we were experiencing those days. Anyway, this is how I've seen it, until now.
That being said, you may profit from knowing a bit more about those who paved your way into existence. Our luck being that I've lived long enough for being able to share as much. This love letter to you gives me the chance for pushing our luck a little further, further than what I may have once thought possible. May this letter find you all, may it serve you, for many generations.
At first, let's say this country we were born into is more a territorial contraption than anything else. Up to now and for the most part, it has been a botched execution, in the line of what an average nation state may aspire to become. For me, this isn't a country at all. It's just a place with a name, like any other. A country, as for most places, is not only a location for which one may end up developing stronger feelings toward, for better or for worse. A country is also a collective concept people from one place can literally own. Like a home, but larger. Unfortunately, we never could own this place, as it always belonged to some not so random highest bidder. Kings and Queens once owned the idea of this land, never its people. Such a sad state of affair. But it could not have been otherwise.
Beside not being a real country, the place we come from and inhabit has all the right appearances for fellow human beings looking for a nice place where to live: it's a frontier land with many hard to find refuge spots; it's a state of mind where you can stealthily follow or be followed; it's anything one may fantasize about, or worse, it's nothing at all. Or maybe it's whatever you decide it to be. Given adequate personal proclivities, it may permit freedom of mind and body, as well as offering mostly illusory safe haven qualities, for a while, permitting to approach happiness in more ways one may discover during a lifetime in any other place. Such a place where to live is totally uncommon, if not unheard of. So hostile, then fruitful nonetheless
These attributes are only possible because this place is way too big and too sparsely populated for becoming utterly alienating. Because it has ample natural resources. Because it sits beside a major economic hot spot. Of all the places in the Universe, if one can find such a place where to live, one should always prefer it to the more crowded places. Unless one's looking for trouble. And yearning to prove oneself in front of others may be the only valid reason for looking for trouble. As you may prefer otherwise, only know you are never required to prove anything to anyone. You are your own self, which should always proved sufficient in most circumstances.
Of all the shame, the scars and the shortcomings I may have suffered from an early age, I tried my best not to pollute you with. As a kid, I learned how to steal, how to lie, how to manipulate, how to control, how to please, how to beg and how to exploit, as I was stolen from, lied to, often manipulated, properly controlled, purposefully displeased, intensely needing, and sometimes, badly exploited. Most of it, if not all, ended up being self induced. A victimhood prone state of mind will do that to you. Beware of cheap tricks, especially when you start believing your own lies. The only important takeaway from all such potential abuses is that's no way to start in life. To not personally experience abuses at an early age is a powerful blessing. That's my gift to you.