Son Don't be Too Kind-hearted

- Son, don't be naive. Don't be too kind-hearted. Don't let people take advantage of you because they will.

- I don't care. I am happy to let them.

- What? You're not making any sense ya ibneh. I worry enough about you as it is. I beg of you, be careful. Don't be a prey to predators. Protect your interests. Fight for them. Life is merciless. I've learned it the hard way, and I've learned it for both of us. Why pay the bills that I've already paid?

- Mother, I ask you not to worry. I am not a predator, nor am I a prey. I see people, I understand them, I see how they are. But I cannot afford to worry about protecting myself from getting hurt or taken advantage of. I will see people taking advantage of me, or thinking they are, and I will let them. They can never hurt me if I let them in.

- No Fouad. Don't say that. Life is not what you make it out to be. It is cruel and hurtful. You're only saying this now because you never really experienced the pain of deceit, the stabbing pain of best friends and brothers turning against you and slashing your throat to quench their thirst with your blood. I've protected you so nothing of this ugliness touched you while you were growing up. And you've come to live in a beautiful world of your making, and partly my own. But now you're a grown man and it's time for you to see what the real world is like. I am just worried about you habibi. You are kind and vulnerable. You cannot stay this way.

- It is strange how little you understand me, mother. You've taught me well, but you've forgotten what you've taught. You have to understand and believe that I do understand and believe all it is you're saying. But my answer is to let go of fear and anguish. I will not be hurt by losing what I don't care to own. The door to pain is wide open for those who are afraid to suffer. How careful can I be mother. How careful can anyone be. The likelihood of getting slapped in the face and betrayed is greater than anyone can circumvent. The answer is to accept it, and more, welcome it as the child of a conscious choice.
Mother, you chose to build a high fence around me, I choose to bring it down. I will be a city that opens its gates to strangers and invaders, I will let them in and live with them under the same sun, rather than die in hunger and sickness and fear, inside my own walls and under the seige I cast around myself and my people.

- Listen Fouad. My life has been nothing but a stack of hefty bills, and I just don't want you to pay what I've already paid for. Life is not a court room. People are guilty until proven innocent. And so are you. That's how it is. You're young and idealistic. The world you live in is beautiful, but it's mythical nonetheless. All I'll ask of you is to take note of what I said, and triage it. Someday, you might find some of it more useful than you now think.

- ...

- Fouad, just say that you will. I think you owe me this much.

- Ok. I will. I promise.

- Good.

- Good.

- Take care of yourself habibi. I'll talk to yo soon.

- Yes. Soon inshallah.

- I love you Fouad. You know that don't you. Everything I say is because I love you.

- Yes mother. I know. I love you too.