It’s our pleasure to meet you.

Hello Weiyi,

On a sunny afternoon a little less than 10 months ago, we became aware of your existence. We were thrilled to say the least. A tad uneasy, too. As clueless as we were, we then set off on a journey to prepare ourselves for your arrival. That brings us to, well, today.

Today, we welcome you to this world.

It is a beautiful world. One full of natural wonders and man-made miracles. Right off the bat, you are already a descendant of a 13.8-billion-year-old universe, a 4.5-billion-year-old planet, and a 6000-year-old civilization.^1,2,3 By the time you read this, a lot more surely will have changed. Will humans have become inter-planetary? How much faster will computers run? Will cars be driving themselves, finally? Will you, perhaps, become part of the change, just like we all did today?

Today, we welcome you as the newest member of our small but growing family on Harvey Drive. Mom and Dad are what you might call nice people. Average, nice people. We came from a country across the Pacific Ocean, where your grandparents call home. There’s also Disney the tabby cat, who joined us about 3 years earlier than you did. All of us enjoy keeping each other company, and we will make sure you are no exception.

It is going to be a while before you can make a living on your own - and that’s okay. We as a species are all beneficiaries of our extended childhood. It means possibilities. So, so many of them. There is knowledge to gain, skills to master, places to visit, books to read, music to listen to, movies to watch, games to play… Though we will guide you on what to try first, we want to listen to you. In time, you will learn to make the best arrangements for yourself and take responsibility for your actions. It is your life, after all. As much as we applaud an exciting, accomplished life, a simple, uneventful one can be just as commendable. All we ask of you is to treat everyone kindly and live every day to the fullest.

It is not always going to be easy. You will meet challenges. Insurmountable, hopeless predicaments. There will be pains. Excruciating, heart-wrenching days. You will make choices. Hard, unpopular decisions. But whatever you face and however you deal with it, please remember that on this day, you were born with our utmost love, care and support.

Yours,

Mom and Dad

¹ Universe, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe, accessed March 2023.

² Earth, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth, accessed March 2023.

³ Civilization, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization, accessed March 2023.