Aug 30Lifelong Benefits of ConsistencyDear Aleena, Yara, Lila, and Kaia, Recently, you have started watching more movies. Home Alone is a current favorite for all of you. One of my favorite movies is Glory which stars Denzel Washington — one of my favorite actors. He once said “Without commitment, you will never start. …Parenting4 min readParenting4 min read
Sep 26, 2022Better to Do Right than Be RightDear Kaia, Lila, Yara, and Aleena, People usually think about their legacy as they get older. Recently a dear friend of mine faced some medical issues. It made him think about his legacy — How would his family remember him? What would he leave behind for his family? What difference had he made in the world…Parenting5 min readParenting5 min read
Oct 18, 2021What if you didn’t need a vacation from life?Dear Kaia, Lila, Yara, and Aleena, This year, amidst the COVID pandemic, you got to hang out in person together. You had so much fun — enjoying parks, hanging out on a boat, and playing with toys together. …Parenting5 min readParenting5 min read
Oct 26, 2020Hypocrisy and Inaction — May you avoid our mistakesMy dearest Lila, Aleena, and Yara, Today, I want to discuss the insidious nature of hypocrisy. I will share the examples of hypocrisy and lack of meaningful action from us. Hopefully, you will pick up tips on how you can monitor practices of hypocrisy and inaction and in doing so…Hypocrisy5 min readHypocrisy5 min read
Sep 30, 2019The Fog-of-Life and Your Path AheadMy dearest Lila, Aleena, and Yara, It’s the last year before 2020. Lila, you just became an older sister. Your first interactions with Kaia have been sweet and loving. You and Kaia will constantly get on each other’s nerves, but, in due time, you will become best friends. When I…Life3 min readLife3 min read
Oct 8, 2018A Father’s Take on Meaning of HomeAleena, you are now 5. Yara, you are 3. You both have started to take a keen interest in music. Aleena, you are taking piano classes and Yara, you keep belting out Spanish songs you learn at daycare. You both love dancing to these: Aleena and Yara, I…Parenting4 min readParenting4 min read
Aug 7, 2017Your Connection to Gender DiscriminationMy Dearest Aleena and Yara, Happy Birthday! Yara, you just turned two and Aleena, you just turned four. I’m enjoying seeing you play together, learn to share, and even fight with each other! :) You both really like Disney princesses. You watch Moana at least once a day. More progressive…Gender Equality3 min readGender Equality3 min read
Aug 28, 2016An Immigrant Father’s Letter to his KidsMy Dearest Aleena and Yara, Happy Birthday! Aleena, you are now putting together full sentences. Yara, you have just started to walk. It’s time for the 4th installment of my letter. (Here are the letters from the past 3 years: 2013 , 2014 , 2015 ) This year I am…Politics3 min readPolitics3 min read
Jul 15, 2016A Time to ReflectRamadan — the month where Muslims around the world fast for 30 days — just finished. At the end of Ramadan, there is a celebration, called Eid. We greet each other on Eid by saying “Eid Mubarak” which means “blessed celebrations.” Ramadan is meant to be an opportunity to reflect…Brexit3 min readBrexit3 min read
Aug 24, 2015A Startup CEO’s Advice To His DaughtersMy Dearest Aleena and Yara, When Aleena was born, I promised myself I would try my best to share some lessons I learned, by writing them down. My first letter was about the importance of giving, and last year I shared some suggestions on maximizing impact! One month ago, we…4 min read4 min read
