Pera Barrett: Letters to my daughter and son that I think are worth sharing with the world. The life lessons I’ve learned and want to pass on, the cover everything from resilience, to handling stress, the New Zealand political system, happiness, productivity, grief and depression – pretty much whatever lessons life throws my way. I write them down before I forget.
Dear Huhana and Kāhu, I hope by the time you’re reading this, these two pictures about staying alive and healthy will be just as cool as each other. I visited a counsellor last week. I’m sure a lot of other people did too, I hope they did. But while Instagram …
Last week I saw a counsellor – Letters worth sharing Read More »
Dear Huhana and Kahu, We just got back from holidaying around Spain, Italy and Singapore. We were running around the sights in these places for a couple of weeks while you two stayed with my Mum and Dad and hung out with your cousins in Otaki. Do you know what me and your mum looked …
Dear Huhana and Kāhu, I was about eight-years-old when I realised how shy I was, how badly I got stage fright, and that I could never, ever, ever rap in front of a crowd. My legs were only a bit bigger than yours are now when I ran from my primary school library crying. I was …
Dear Huhana & Kāhu o te Rangi, Have you failed yet? Didn’t make a team you ’needed’ to be on? Wanted to build something that you were sure would be incredible, and watched it fall to pieces instead? I know it’s hard to remember at the time, but we all fail. If you learned something …
Dear H, This one is pretty personal and there’s a lot packed into the paragraphs, so take your time reading them. These first three letters were the hardest for me to write. But I did so instead of sitting down with you when you’re older, because it’s still easier for me to catch in writing …
What a Car Crash & Death Taught Me about Life & Happiness Pt.1 Read More »
Dear Huhana and Kāhu ō te Rangi, This one is about making money, finding money, setting goals, and happiness. Yeah I know, “all these stupid letters are about happiness!” You’re right, they are. But that’s because if there’s one single thing I want to help you be, it’s that. Everything else comes second to happiness. When …
Dear Huhana and Kāhu ō te Rangi, Firstly, if you haven’t already, then please read part one of this letter. Part one makes up the first and most important lesson I learnt while trying to stop my life crumpling up like the bonnet of the car I crashed. I talked about happiness, because that’s something you …
What a Car Crash & Death Taught Me about Life & Happiness PART 2 (Perspective) Read More »
Dear Huhana & Kāhu ō te Rangi, Huhana you’re three years old, you’ve just become a big sister – congratulations and thanks in advance for helping raise your little bro. Kāhu ō te Rangi, you’re one week old today – welcome to the world, it’s yours to shape around you. This is a short letter. …
Dear Huhana and Kāhu ō te Rangi, This week I finished up the school drop offs for Wellington Shoebox Christmas 2016, this is the part where I share pictures, stories, and thank you smiles from the awesome little kids that the project has delivered Christmas presents to. Every year I try to connect the volunteers to the …
Dear Huhana and Kāhu ō te Rangi, Huhana, we just finished dinner. Pretty boring start to a letter, huh?It wasn’t any ordinary dinner though, it was terrifying. Everything started off fine. We were both at your little person’s table. You were sitting on your little, you-sized chair. I was on the floor, balanced on my me-sized knees.I was spooning a hot bowl of …