Thuy & Auri

My dear Auri,

I was born as a premature baby. 

My mom gave birth to me in the 7th month without any medical help, she delivered me at home, just with some help from a few neighbors. For some moment, people believed that I couldn’t make it. They thought I had already died and started giving up hope. They prepared to say goodbye to me. But all of a sudden, I started my cry, showing everyone that I was still fighting to stay in life, with the little strength of a newborn baby.

My late father, the one who cannot be here today with us, told me this story again and again when I was a kid. He always said to me “You have to be strong because when nobody is gonna help you, you have to do everything yourself”. He named me with the raising tone, with the hope that I will remain strong and independent. And I have grown up that way, taking his words to be my life goal and lifestyle.

I grew up and learned to do everything myself, making my own decisions on almost everything. This independent lifestyle makes me sometimes an “emotionless” person, who doesn’t want to show her vulnerability, she keeps everything to herself, solves her problems, and does not feel the necessity to share her weak side with anyone. Until the day I met you.
You never stop pushing me to open up my thoughts, my thinking to you.
You never give up on forcing me to share my problems with you. Even for the problems you cannot help, you said that I only need someone who can listen, it already helps.

I was stubborn, many times, I tried to hold on own way of thinking and refused to share my thoughts and emotions with you. I tried to stay in the “selective connection” mode. So much that you have named me a nickname “Robot”.

But you are even more stubborn, for never stop trying to change that in me.

After 4 years together, you have changed me so much, to be someone better.
Now I understand that I do not have to do everything myself, make my own decisions, take in my problems, and solve them alone. Not anymore.

You have become a part of my life, my emotions, my decision-making. You have become my family. And I am so grateful for that.

I am the lucky one to have you. I think all the good luck of my life has been nicely packed and shipped to me on the day we first met. The delivery took quite some time, but it is finally here.
Never a single day do I wake up without feeling so grateful and blessed for seeing you there next to me.

And we will grow old together until we are 200 years old. :))

So babe, thank you for coming and staying here with me in this life.

I love you