A little journey
for Darya

I didn’t expect our lessons to become something I would look forward to so much.

Somehow, every time we talk, I end up feeling better than I did before the lesson.

I love that we keep discovering how much we have in common, while also learning about each other’s worlds. And I really love hearing your stories and learning about your culture.

So I guess this isn’t only a birthday present. I also wanted to say thank you.

For the conversations, for all the stories we share, and for the fact that somehow, after almost every lesson, I end up in a much better mood than I was before it. I really value that.

And I’m honestly very glad that, somewhere between our English lessons, we got to know each other a little more.

I hope you give yourself permission to try things just because they make you curious.

You don’t have to be good at something to deserve doing it.

You told me that you really want to sing. And I really hope you get to do it.

I hope there will be more moments in your life when you can just sing because you want to. Not because you have to be good at it. Not because someone is listening. Just because you love it.

I hope you get to experience that feeling again and again.

And I really hope that one day you’ll be able to sing as loudly as you want, wherever you want.

I think you’d be really happy.

I think, more than anything, I want you to have a life where you can actually feel calm.

Not just happy all the time — I don’t think that’s really possible — but calm enough to make plans, to have goals, to get excited about things and not constantly worry about what comes next.

I hope you have a stable job that makes you feel good about your life, and good friends who stay around for a long time.

I hope you keep finding things that make you feel more confident in yourself. Try new hobbies, new sports, new things just because you’re curious about them. Go skating. Go skiing. Do something you’ve never done before.

And I really hope you get to travel. I hope you see Paris one day, and finally get to stand in front of the Eiffel Tower. And New York. Rome. Madrid. Britain. Scotland. Armenia. Thailand. Turkey…

I hope these places slowly stop being things you want to see and become places you’ve actually been.

And, maybe most importantly, I hope you get to sing. I know how much you want that. I hope you get a chance to do it. Really.

And I hope that when you look back at this part of your life someday, you’ll realize that things became a little calmer, a little happier, and maybe even a little more yours.