Khaled Hosseini | The Kite Runner | 2003

Dear Amir,

You disturb me. You disturb me because you are so honest. Honest about how you were so jealous of Hassan, your half-brother, and how you loved him at the same time. You story moved me, because it showed me what it was like to be truly human. It showed me that being human was about being imperfect and then overcoming our imperfections. You laid bare all your vulnerabilities and risked losing your reputation and even your life, just so when you were all alone, you could be in the same room as yourself. Just for peace.

It hurt so much when you saw him being raped. It made me realize how much I loved him too. I wanted so much for you to step out of the shadows and into that alley to be that hero. But we can’t be that hero all of the time, sometimes we’re not ready when we’re needed. I guess that’s when tragedies or mistakes occur.

Thanks for telling us your story. You gave me permission to be imperfect and to create tragedies and mistakes of my own. Most importantly, you gave me the courage to redeem myself.

Kai, are you at peace now? Does saving his son, save you from yourself? Or will you always be paying for what you did. I want to know because like everyone else, I have something I may have to do or be too.

Sincerely,
Quyen Thai