Sakura Bloom Sling Diaries: Vision

As many of you may recall, Dan and I have each been chosen to be sling diarists for the Sakura Bloom Sling Diaries Volume V: All the Love. This is the fourth of six posts that I will be sharing here on the blog (you can find my first post here, second post here, and third post here), and Dan will be sharing his over on Instagram a little later on. Today's post is all about the theme of vision. Thank you all, new readers and old alike, for following along on this journey with us.

My sweet little Oswin,

I could sit here and say that I have visions for your future; that you'll go to a good university, followed by an esteemed graduate school, become a doctor or scientist, meet someone who makes you laugh, and start a family. I could say that I see you taking a gap year, travelling around Europe, followed by teaching English in Argentina, and finally helping the needy in a tiny village somewhere off the grid. I could say that I envision you making all of your food from scratch, and organic, of course, for all of your life (including that gap year). That you'll never try a cigarette, that you'll listen to Johnny Cash, that you'll never be mean to another human or animal, that you'll always choose to root for Philadelphia sports teams...

...I might as well also envision that you'll find the cure for cancer, while you're at it. 

(It'll probably be during that gap year. I would envision that gap year being a very productive one for you.)

Being that you're just a wee babe, just approaching your very first birthday, it feels silly to think those things. As parents, we want what is best for our children. We mean well, in everything we try to teach our children, with every experience we provide for them, with every lesson learned. But what if, instead of trying to shape their futures for them, and lead them down a specific path, we become more interested in helping them envision their own future, towards their own personal happiness?

Which leads me to my real and truthful vision for your future Oswin: I want you to be happy. 

Whatever that is for you.

Maybe you want to cure cancer, on a gap year in Europe, while cooking all of your organic meals from scratch. But maybe that's not what you want at all. Perhaps the life you choose will not involve travelling, or graduate school, or jamming out to quality tunes by Johnny Cash. Maybe you will end up rooting for New York sports teams...

...I have to put my foot down on that last part, as there is only so much a Mama's heart can take.

I hope that we can help you in your quest for happiness, to find what you are truly passionate about in life, and support you. Whatever that is. I feel that our job is to expose you to a lot of different things, such as travel, cooking, gardening, the great outdoors, reading, music, and see where those take you. Sometimes activities you loved one minute can be flights of fancy, but sometimes those flights of fancy can lead you to the real deal, to what you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life. I hope we can find that balance, of giving you your space to explore and thrive, while being there to support you along the way. 

Your vision and your future are yours and yours alone, Oswin. You are the only one that has to live in it, and find happiness within it. Once you figure that part out, all else will fall into place. And if doesn't, you're always welcome to change your mind and start over. It may be different than what Papa and I would have done, or thought would make you happy, but that's the beauty of life: that one little person, created by two people, can have their own thoughts, ideas and opinions. Use your intelligence, use your inspirations, and use your inner (and outer) voice to create the most joyous and love filled life that you can possibly envision...and then live it. But just know that Papa and I will be there every step of the way, and we can't wait to see what life you create for yourself. 

Just please please pretty please don't become a Yankees fan. 

Love,

Mama 

Sling pictured: Essential Silk Sling in Shadow Tart, by Sakura Bloom