Of Choices

Dearest Adrian,

Your birth in the United States was no accident. In time, perhaps, you will come to appreciate if not value the amount of hard work and planning your parents undertook to afford you this opportunity. There are many reasons why we chose to have you born in the United States but the most prominent is to give you choices.

Funny thing about choices ... most people who have them tend to make them without much thought and often take them forgranted. In a way choices are to life what salt is to food - if there is enough you never notice anything is wrong but if its not you will feel its impact acutely in every bite.

Let me give you some concrete examples so that you can put all of this into context. Having born in the United States gives you choices that were denied to us. Its why in 2015 despite 5 years of exceptional work experience, I couldn't land jobs with Lockheed Martin or Boeing. Its why despite having all the necessary skills and qualifications, I could not be accepted into any program at NASA. These roles required that the applicant be a US citizen - which due to various legislative issues I am not.  It is why your mom and I had to spend almost 4 years living apart - maintaning a long distance relationship. Our visas required us to keep working in whichever cities we landed our jobs in.

Beyond the obvious stresses and problems of a long distance relationship - these 4 years were exceptionally difficult for your mother. You see at the time, our first family dog Kaiser - whose name you share - was living with me and me visiting her meant that I either had to board Kaiser somewhere or take him with me on a drive. So for the most part, your mom travelled to us. This meant multiple flight changes, transit delays and sometimes even greyhound bus travels - none of which was ideal nor comfortingly safe.

Not being US citizens has also meant that the individuals and organizations employing us have been at times able to exact unreasonable work hours - because we didn't have the opportunity to just quit our jobs.  But May 25th 2019 - your birthday - makes it all worthwhile.

As you grow up my child, I want for you to fully realize the sheer volume of career paths and lifestyle choices you enjoy. 

As I sleep at night, I picture your future ... graduation ceremonies, first jobs, the cities you will live in, the places you will go to - the people you will meet! 

You could for example become the first human being to go to Mars! You could become the first Indian-American president (please choose this - for I would cherish dearly the opportunity to roam the White House in my pajamas!). Or you could become a writer traveling the world. You can become a US diplomat and create foriegn policy or you could become a surgeon providing life saving service. 

Be it political, scientific, artistic or commercial - I do not believe there is any route or any door closed to you on account of the place of your birth! 

We - your parents will of course make a lot of choices for you while we nourish you towards becoming an independent adult. It is possible you will come to dislike a lot of the choices we made - but such is the nature of the human condition and some of this discontent is but unavoidable. 

In time though, I hope you enjoy your freedom and choose wisely. 

Choose your religion for we will not impose ours. 

Choose the person you will marry and the gender you will love.

Choose the occupation you want to adopt and the places where you will live.

Choose my dear boy and realize that your parents will love you just the same. To us it isn't what you end up doing that matters but that you had your say and have built your life to your liking!

And to help you do this - you have friends!

You have for example 58 National Parks - some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world waiting to lend you their spirituality and inspire you to great deeds.
You have the US Marine Corps, the US Army, the US Navy and the US Air Force including 11 carrier battle groups to help keep you safe.
You have the US judiciary, Congress, Senate and the Executive branches of government to ensure your voice in how we are governed gets heard!
And you have the full force of the U.S. Constitution - ideals that have guided the world for centuries - to ensure that your choices have a conscience!

Welcome to the world my child!

Love,

Sanket