Childrenʼs Day: A letter from poet Gulzar to daughter Meghna | Lifestyle News, The Indian Express 15/06/19, 9)31 AM

What stays with me even today about this letter is the unflinching
confidence he had in me — and yet, it is so balanced. There is no whiff of
parental ambitions being conveyed to the child. It is just brimming with
hope for the future and its endless possibilities. And lays out a world
before the child to explore.

Twenty is such a precarious age. You are just about beginning to know
yourself. Or even, becoming yourself. The academic and career decisions
that a young person takes at this stage are so crucial for the rest of her
life. And here, the encouraging, hopeful words of a parent can mean
everything.

Like his did for me.

And, as always, even here, he is putting out the fires between my mother
and me.

Like all mothers and daughters, we were never like a real parent-child.
We were more like friends, or even siblings actually. So naturally, there
were quarrels galore.

And, hence, Papa, like the wise sage Popular Photos

he always is, is telling me to find
other ways of expressing my love for
my mother, besides quarrelling with
her!

Itʼs been years since I graduated.

And I have been in the career of my
choice for over a decade now. I think
Iʼm doing pretty well with the faith he
showed in me. But heʼs still putting
out the fires between Ma and me.

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