A Graduation Blessing

／Clement Yeung Dear daughter,

I have been thinking a lot about your graduation as you are about to finish high school. Best wishes are easy to give but they don't necessarily mean much. I wanted to say something that would truly reflect our heartfelt feeling for you, especially at this crucial moment of your life.

I eventually found this "Blessing" which is usually given at bar mitzvah, i.e. when a Jewish boy reaches age thirteen which is regarded as the beginning of a adulthood. The blessing is given by the parents in front of a congregation and goes like this (with my paraphrasing):

"My child, whatever will happen to you in your life,
whether you will have success or not ,
become important or not,
will be healthy or not,
always remember how much your mother and I love you."

To truly give a blessing is no simple matter. It is more than a word of appreciation or praise. It is the most significant form of affirmation. It actually creates the reality of which it speaks.

Now I am going to say something that is rather"non-Jewish": since you are the oldest among the children, you are our firstborn as far as we are concerned and you will always be special to us.

Love from both of us,

Dad.

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