Day 14 – Letter Of Appreciation
Dear special someone, …
During this time of the year we often find ourselves reflecting more on the past. Not only is another year coming closer to an end, but with the way this year has played out, how things “used to be” might be a lot different than the future that awaits us. The cooler nights (in the northern hemisphere anyway) call for evenings, sat around the living room, wrapped up in blankets, reminiscing about the past and the people in it. 🙂
We all have people that shaped us into who we are today, that played a particular part in teaching us about the world. We can list certain relatives, teachers, friends or artists without whom our lives would look a lot different.
We thought we would dedicate one day of this Advent Calendar to all of the people that made us … us. And you … you. The people that left a lasting impact on how you see the world, hopefully for the better.
The task today is to write a letter to such a person in your life.
Although you can, you don’t have to send it. Maybe that’s not even possible. But the act alone of writing it down, getting it out of your head and out into the universe will hopefully lift your spirits and maybe it will even be received and felt on the other end 😉
You also don’t have to share the actual letter with us either since these things can be very personal, but just let us know you did it by leaving a comment about it so we can add your points.
DAY 14 – LETTER OF APPRECIATION
Task of the Day:
Write a letter to someone who shaped you and changed your life for the better.
Achievable Points:
20
We would like to post our little letter in form of a song that you all know. We’ve told you recently that “Still A Friend Of Mine” was inspired by John Lennon. Ore more accurately, was inspired by humans like him.
Without a shadow of a doubt would we be different people today if it wasn’t for the Beatles who majorly shifted our trajectory more than 10 years ago, and if it wasn’t for them you wouldn’t be reading this from us here right now.
“Still A Friend Of Mine” is about an attitude towards life and truth that is much bigger than a single person, but John Lennon hit the nail on the head quite damn often … and he had the courage to sing and talk freely about it, so we can think about it, too.
People are often quick to point out his shortcomings and character flaws, many of which we would agree with, but for us that doesn’t take away from what we think makes people like him more valuable, more inspiring and more important to this world than someone who is cowardly “pleasant”. He was searching, he was questioning, sometimes in the wrong places but he was poking at the hornets’ nest, risking some bruising but not falling for what we are all told to believe life has to be like by default.
Like most of us, he could tell something was majorly off and did his part in trying to figure out where the bad smell was coming from. People like that, some of whom we had the pleasure of sharing time on this planet with, have inspired this song.
With that being said, thanks John …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsiKXfFkRoA
Download “Still A Friend Of Mine” PDF
And another of my favorites from you. The Beatles have a wide ranging influence. I have told the story before of Christmas 1965 when my parents only gave me one gift: a Ludwig Black Pearl set just like Ringo’s on Ed Sullivan. From there I was off on an on and off adventure of playing music. I am so glad that MLT found the Beatles, too. Some of the covers are better than the originals. Keep on pickin’ and Happy 2021. Mike.
All that 10 days since this challenge was published I’m trying to write 3 different letters: to John Lennon, to Jim Morisson and to Mona and Lisa. But they all are still unfinished.
Oh gosh, my father was and still is my inspiration. I spent so much time with him, learning and watching as I grew. His spirit lives with me. My adult children still ask “where did you learn that…” Thanks Dad!
I’m writing a letter of appreciation to someone who changed my life for the better, like no other ever could, and that’s my wife. Every birthday, and every Christmas I do my best to let her know, not just how much I love her, but how my life has surpassed my wildest dreams. All that I once thought I wanted to achieve in film and music, have become shortsighted goals when compared to my day to day life with her, still 10 years on, who’s unwaveringly compass shows me true north with a heart of gold. I will do my best, but words may fall short.
Tomás
I work in a hospital, and this year we have faced some incredible challenges. I spend most of my time in the ICU, where I see what this virus does to the bodies of people. I work with nurses who get up everyday and come to work exhausted, but determined to give the best care they can. They care for patients who can’t have family there and for most, the only human contact that these people get. I have watched them hold the hands of someone dying, just to make sure these people don’t die alone. They then have the privilege of talking with the family and often providing comfort for them. I stopped working one afternoon to spend a few minutes with one who had just lost 2 patients that day. A friend who is a respiratory therapist gave up living at home for months to keep her at-risk newborn safe. Most people have no idea the emotional toil that the front line workers are dealing with in this pandemic. They come to work knowing that it will probably be just another one of “those” days. And they do so with a very tired smile hiding behind a mask and layers of PPE. If you call them heroes, they shrug it off, because to them, this is their job and what they signed up for. I am blessed in that I get to witness such a great outpouring of love and humanity everyday I work. These words can’t not match the deep felt love and admiration I have for each and everyone of them.
Hi Alan, thanks for sharing this. Back in November my dad caught covid when an outbreak started in his care home. I experienced first hand what it’s like to put on full PPE with face shield and walk through the hall ways of a Covid ground zero stricken facility with death and sickness all around to see my dad for what I thought would be the last time. Fortunately he pulled through it and survived. It felt very unsettling and dangerous to be there knowing the virus was all around taking lives. It was only bearable for me to be there because of my dad, and I was there only 20 minutes and it was tough.
As I was leaving this young guy just arrived outside, one of the care aids or nurses, to start his shift. I felt so thankful to him knowing he was there to relieve the other frontline staff, heroes who put themselves in harms way every day without a second thought to protect and care for our loved ones in there. I felt like giving him a hug, but I’m sure that wouldn’t have been appropriate given the cirumstances. ????
When we see acts of great courage in the news like a fireman rescuing a person in a flaming building, or a bystander jumping into a rushing river to save someone, afterwards they say they just did what was needed at the time. That is courage, and all the frontline workers today as yourself in the ICUs and everywhere, doing what is needed, putting themselves in harms way day in and day out are the most courageous people on the planet, even if that’s just their job and what they signed up for. I salute you all! THANK YOU!????
I could write several of these thank you letters, many people helped me to be who I am, but this letter is for my mother, my father died when I was 10 years old. so my mother was a father and mother to me and my brother … today I know that she worked hard to accomplish this task., My gratitude is enormous .. I love her and I respect her a lot … I have to write too a letter to thank the existence of my daughters they are my treasure .. they colored my world, it is common to think that we teach children and it is true we must teach ,. but we learned a lot from them too .. being a father of girls is incredibly wonderful, women are fantastic … and I can’t let them send a letter to Mona and Lisa .. and thank them for the joy they give me through their music, joy and good energy that they transmit to us.
Mine is to my parents. As I am now into my seventh decade on this flying space rock, I am beyond fortunate to still have both of them. The lessons and care they provided helped form me into (I believe) a reasonably good person, and it’s a bit ironic that now they need some help with the challenges of aging and technology, so I am able to provide some of that to them. Love you Mom & Dad!
I wrote a letter to my Father or Pops as I came to call him later in life after I was married with kids of my own. My father wasn’t the kind of man who said a lot but taught mostly by example. What advice he did give us always stuck in my mind and I sure miss not having the opportunity to ask him for it in person anymore. He had a limited formal education which ended at 8th grade because he and his brothers had to go to work and earn money since his mother and father split up when he was very young and she had 5 boys to raise and feed by herself. He never met his father and yet was the kindest, gentlest and loving father you could ask for. What he lacked in formal education he made up for with common sense, which I’ve found to be far more valuable to possess. Some of his advice was intentionally humorous to make a point I believe. Such as “Vote early and often” and “the only difference between a Democrat and a Republican is a Republican will apologize before raising your taxes”. He also had some pearls when it came to relationships and raising children. I remember him telling me “feeling sorry for someone isn’t the same as Loving them” and “that kid could use a good dose of ignoring”. Simple principles but they had a much deeper meaning to them that I learned better as time went by.
He spent 4 1/2 years in the Army during WWII and served in the European Theatre for 18 months. Yet he never spoke to us about the war outside of what you might learn in a history book such as his time in England during the buildup for the invasion of France and and what battles he fought in as the 4th Division made it’s way across France, liberating Paris, Belgium, endured the Battle of the Bulge and finally made it into Germany when the Germans surrendered. He would talk about the history but not his personal experience and what he saw. I often think he experienced so much cruelty that was inflicted on mankind during war that he couldn’t repeat it to his children. He came home from a war that my mother told us he never expected to survive but was so grateful that he had because he wanted so badly to finally get married and have a family of his own.
So Pop thanks for all the wisdom and kindness you taught us and thank you for raising us to be gentlemen and productive members of society. I hope I’ve made you proud. You’re my hero.
What a wonderful exercise! I’m not going to post the text because it does get personal and private, but I wrote to an old teacher of mine who really did shape my life for the better. He believed in me when I seemed useless and going nowhere and didn’t believe in myself. I will probably actually send the letter if I can track him down and find the address.
It’s because of things like this and so much more than the music, that when I do this again (which I hope to do often) many years hence, I will probably have Mona and Lisa at the top of my list of people that shaped my life for the better.
Dear Mr Beethoven
On this occasion of your 250th anniversary year and birthday month, I wanted to write you a short letter to thank you for your perseverance with the harsh struggles in your life. Your devotion to your art throughout your life has made so many lives better for endless generations to come, including mine.
The earliest piece of music I heard and remember was at age 4. It was your timeless little piano piece, Fur Elise, I use to listen to from this little wooden miniature house with a water mill. I would crank the water mill and this beautiful sound would play and later I learned it was your music.
My mother told me a story a long time ago. She was just a teenager in Korea when her father died and the Korean war broke out. It was your music, Symphony No 5, she use to listen to that gave her hope and courage to persevere during those dark times.
I remember as a child growing up, my dad would come home from work and he would sit on the couch filled with stress. Stress later I would learn of supporting a family of 5 young children and wife, in a foreign country where he knew no one, no family or friends. He would put on one of your records that would make him feel better and regain his perspective that things are going to work out. He would listen to your music for hours, and I remember seeing the expression satisfaction and happiness afterwards in his face as he got so into your music. Your music gave him strength and hope.
Later as an adult your music would have the same effect on me as it did with my parents. Your music takes me on a journey from darkness and struggle to triumph, joy, and hope. Your music is so positive, absolutely beautiful and full of joy and hope. It has made me feel so many emotions from sadness, to wonder, and joy. Thank you for your beautiful gift of music to all of humanity! It continues to enrich so many lives every single day and forever!
Your Truly
Jung
PS, you should listen to MonaLisa Twins from where you are; they have your artistic vision, and their music is as beautiful and moving as yours. I am sure you would like them.
So beautiful to a 4 year old
https://youtu.be/s2vOq0oce_s
Let me introduce Ludwig. My mother bought this a long, long time ago, and it sat in our living room fireplace mantle for decades. So he saw the family growing up. I have him in my place now. Couldn’t lose him.
I want to thank the MLT Team for the joy that you have brought into the many lives you have touched through your music. As I read your comments for today’s task, it confirmed what I suspected after hearing “Still A Friend Of Mine”. The white piano and suit were a kind of a giveaway, but I really wasn’t sure. It’s a beautiful melody and my favorite original. I think John would have felt so too.
And reading through the postings brought tears to my eyes. If only the world wasn’t so full of hatefulness.
Of course my parents played a major roll in who I’ve become, but my wife has made me who I am more than anyone else.
We were married in 1975 and the only thing we really had in common was “The Beatles”.
Our upbringing was so different. For 45 years now we have grown so much together. I wish that all married people had what we have. I’m proud to say that in all those years we have only had two disagreements, and they were in our first year or so.
“The Beatles” is a great place to start! We are so glad you two are so happy together and wish both of you a beautiful Christmas ❤
I wrote a letter to a special someone today. I didn’t send it, but maybe I will give it to that person someday or tell them some of the things I’ve written. I think this task is a wonderful idea; I really enjoyed writing the letter and it brought a happy smile to my face 🙂
I was raised by my grand parents, so they made me into the person I am today. Although my mother did help in the process and love her dearly but my grand parents showed me so much and taught me so much I am forever greatful to them. They all have passed and this time of year I miss them the most.
Not a letter but let me explain. Many of the people that had the most impact on m life, my parents, uncle, grandfather, and high school music teacher unfortunately are no longer with us. But the one person that has meant more to me than anyone. The person that has been with me for 45 years and grew up with me is my wife. We met in high school when she was 15 and I was 16. It was during those high school years we held hands walking to class, went on picnics in the park, learned to cross country ski together, went to movies on Friday night (Star Wars!), enjoyed concerts together on the lawn at Blossom Music Center and we fell in love.
After High School we attended two different universities and went through four years of a distant relationship. “Please Mr. Postman” was very real to us. We made it work and graduated in 1982. It took some time due to the recession of 1982, but we were able to start our careers and married 2 years later in 1984. In 1986 our lives changed again when our first child was born, and we purchased our first house. In 1993 our 2nd child was born. We went through all the usual family things together.
Now we find ourselves in the next chapter of our lives. Our kids are adults now and we are planning retirement… traveling together in our RV to see the North America. With 2020 the way it has been, I have had time to go back though the photos of our 45 years together. I have put together a Shutterfly photo book for my wife of the special moments we have had. It also includes scans of a couple letters Mr. Postman delivered so many years ago. While not a letter, this book shows what my wife has meant to me. My best friend, my sole mate, the person who made me the man, husband, and father I became.
Still A Friend of Mine is one of the most beautiful songs I know of, so elegant and poetic. . It really tugs at the heart strings. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insight into that song, as it makes it that much more special and meaningful.
I wrote this letter October 1st 2016, a few months after my mother passed away from dementia after a fierce battle with it for 13 years, with the last few being the worst as she lived in a world like a cocoon that was closing in mercilessly. In the end all there was left was my deep love for her left to embrace. There was so much I wanted to tell her in the final years but I could not get through. I was still very raw with pain and mourning when I wrote this one day into a journal very spontaneously. Close friends and family told me I needed to let her go, but how can you let go of someone who was the center of your universe all your life, who was the source of your very identity? Writing this letter to my mom and expressing all I wanted to say to her helped me to let go of the pain and accept and go on a little. As I wrote this letter it felt like my mom was reading from over my shoulders as tears flowed. This letter sat in this journal locked up since then, but somehow it feels like It needs to be freed, released to the universe now. That feels like the right thing to do. A colleague at work who lost her mother a few years previously told me at the time this when I asked if time will heal the pain. This short little verse I came across sums it up: “Time heals all wounds, but the absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
Reading other people’s letters here was so moving too. Perhaps our letters can help someone going through something similar in their lives, and show them they are not alone, and can move them in a beautiful and positive way.
Mona and Lisa, discovering your beautiful song San Francisco, and your world back in 2017 during such a painful and dark time in my life just showed me, life can still be beautiful and things will be OK. Such is the power and beauty of your music and the both of you, like angels gifted to us to make this a better world. May your beautiful art flourish around the globe timelessly!
Thank you both so much! Much love to you both and Michaela and Rudolf this Christmas season and a very bright and happy 2021. ????????
****Team MLT, I can’t seem to post an attachment here of the letter. When I attach the picture file, the picture does not appear******
Hello Jung. We connect again. I did not know that your mother had suffered from dementia, only that you are now dealing with the last years of your father’s life.
As you know, I’m now (as are my brothers of course) going through what you did with your mother. We are only 4 years in as we first realised that something was wrong back at Christmas 2016. She was depressed (she’d never had/shown this before) and wouldn’t get out of bed. We brothers made sure that one of us was there with her over the Christmas period to get her through and out the other side. But we knew we had to do more so had her health checked and ended up where we are now.
Hopefully, I’ll remember to think to write her a letter when she is finally at peace.
Years ago a work colleague suggested that I write things down if I couldn’t express them. I’m so grateful to her as I found it is so therapeutic almost talking to that special person (my dad) and laying down my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I just couldn’t stop and suddenly realised that it was almost the following morning. It just shows how much we have pent up inside.
I hope that you have peace of mind regarding your mother and can enjoy the memories, fun and enjoyment she wants for you. We have to celebrate those that formed us, mourn for them yes, but they would always want us to take the positives of their influence.
I suspect that you may need to change the format of your letter to be able to post it. I couldn’t get one of my documents to post here so I rescanned it in pdf and everything was then ok.
Hi Philip, nice to connect with you again and thanks for your kind words and so true about celebrating my mom’s life and feeling all the positive influence she had on me. I’m sorry to hear about your mom and wish all the best for her. She is so fortunate to have such loving sons around her. I know it’s tough dealing with the situation when someone you love goes through an illness like this. All we can do is just love them dearly, and I think they can feel that. Writing is such a therapeutic thing for sure, as it has helped me a lot over the years dealing with things as well as I just find a lot of pleasure journaling. It is rewarding.
The letter
Thank you, Jung, for sharing that with us. We can feel the love you had for your mum and we are sure she knew that, too. We send love to you, your wife, and your father!
Thanks so much Lisa for those kind words! ???? ????
I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I’m most grateful to my parents.
Dear Mom and Dad, I love you both more than can be expressed by words. I know we were never wealthy, but I never went to bed hungry or lacked warm clothes in the winter. I deeply appreciate all you both sacrificed to provide for my sister and me. We always felt loved and safe, thanks only to God and you. No one has ever had finer parents than we did. God bless you both, and may you always know how much you’re loved and appreciated.
Your son, Jeff
As we hurtle towards the apocalypse, I respect and admire Greta.I wanted to write her and encourage her in leading us to put out the fire.
Another wonderful task. Prompted me after a few years of procrastination to reconnect with my favorite professor from college. We had communicated a few times over the years, but nothing recently. He was instrumental in my career path choice, and it has forever changed my life for the better. If a professor can make organic chemistry fun, you know they are an outstanding teacher. He went way beyond science, though, and instilled in me a passion for the arts, history, and philosophy through numerous after class and after hours talks and ramblings. My daughter took the same class a couple of years ago, and it really highlighted how incredibly lucky I was at the time. I sent him a letter of thanks and appreciation, and I hope we can stay in closer contact.
Absolutely beautiful song and performance by the way.
That warms our hearts, thanks for sharing that with us!
I have many people to write a letter to because in one way or another they gave me advice, supported me or gave me their friendship and the truth is that I am not the best writing letters.
the letter I write will be for my dad and will not be sent
Hi dad, how are you? I miss him so much and I always remember him fondly
You were my hero and you taught me many things, one of the most important is that no matter who it is, I must respect people.
I still remember that when I was a child I would accompany you to the ranch after school to help you work, or when I was older I would call you and my mother on the phone and tell me that after November 20, I would limit the days until he will arrive on vacation in December.
where he wanted me to send him a big hug and a kiss.
“Dear Dad, I miss you more than you will ever know. Its been a long time since you left this world but I think about you every day. I as proud of you as ever for your service in WWII and still read your flight log to know where you were. Thank you for giving me the chance for education but most of all for instilling in me a work ethic that has sustained me when life gets hard. Thank you for loving me when I was unlovable. Until we meet again…. your loving son”.
This was a little painful to write but glad I did. Thanks girls for encouraging us to do this and for sharing a so much of your life with all of us. Wonderful song to go along with this day of the calendar.
What a truly wonderful idea it is to have us all think of who inspired us to be where we are now, to be who we are, to deal with what life throws at us and to celebrate who we are.
I cannot single out anyone in my family as they have all played huge parts in where I am today. The biggest influence on me outside of this was Fred Castle my maths teacher for just 5 terms when I was 12 and 13. He only worked part-time in semi-retirement and had been the headmaster of possibly the most challenging school in Bournemouth before he moved to the school I was at.
I was a quiet, reserved, cautious and unsure child due to the death of my father when I was 6. Fred saw that I had a natural talent for maths and that I loved the subject. He used this to give me the self-confidence, self-belief and self-esteem that I so badly needed by showing me the value of my talents and abilities and that I could use them to help others. He taught me to be able to explain what I could see, but not just with maths though. So much so that I started helping less able boys in my class with their maths and this continued after he had finally fully retired. In little over 20 months he moved me from being a background figure in the class to someone who was a confident full part of it. This all enabled me to become a better pupil and my work in other classes improved.
There was so much that I admired about him, his demeanour, humour, gentleness, modesty and I was in utter heaven in his classes. I lapped up his every word and pearls of wisdom. I wanted to be like him as a person, use him as a guiding light.
I’ve written the letter 4 times so far this evening and night (as it is now 2.00) but none of them was good enough, none was perfect enough. There is so much to say that I don’t really know where to start, so much gratitude to express that I can’t find words that are adequate. As I enjoy writing this is a strange sensation.
But it is all here in my head and heart and so I’ll send it all to him telepathically for now and keep trying.
Edit 15/12/2020. I’ve awoken today realising that I need to add that at the time, of course, I did not appreciate what he was doing for and to me but I was just having so much fun learning from Fred. No doubt he was trying to help every pupil, however they needed it, but, naturally, they all wouldn’t connect with him as I did. Hopefully another teacher did so for them. He would be overjoyed by what he had managed to help me achieve but I suspect that he would just say that it was he was supposed to do as a teacher.
I started each letter trying to be concise but the memories just flooded back making me want to include things he had done and then I couldn’t stop gushing. Soon the letter was far too long. too wordy and editing it too messy so I tried starting again. I doubt that I’ll never be happy with anything I write for him so I’ll leave it as a telepathic letter. He’d understand.
So I’ll finish by being very understated. Thank You Fred!
Dear MonaLisa team, what a wonderful idea to write an letter to an important person, thank you very much. I did write a letter to my granny, who is in heaven since 14 years and I really loved it to write her a letter and say Thank You for all she has done and write her my thoughts.
My letter of appreciation is to my wife. We met 27 years ago and it has been a long journey of ups and downs and I would do it all over again. I know I’ve not been the most pleasant person to live with, but you have made me a better person with your heart full of love and kindness. I most likely would not still be here if it wasn’t for you. You have stuck by me in the good times and some very bad times, even when my own family turned their backs to me you was still there with tears of sorrow and love. You stayed by my side when I was a drunk & drug addict and you helped me through it all as I made your life a living hell, you would not give up on me, and I came out a better person because of you. Now that you are sick I will never leave your side because you would not turn you back on me I will not turn my back to you. All your love and kindness has saved my life and I will be by your side till the end, returning all that love and kindness to you. I will always love and care for you as long as God will allow me to. With all my love babe !!
Your friend and husband,
Micky
It seemed to be a dilemma at first. My Dad died in 1981. My Mother in 1996. My Sister in 2000. Lost both of my Brothers in 2019. But even if they were still alive, the one who most shaped and changed my life is my wife, Margaret. She is also my best friend.
So that is who my letter is written to. I will share a song lyric I wrote for her.
You Are My Song
A songwriter is an artist who paints pictures with words
And you are the hardest model to sketch unblurred
He makes sculptures of sound tapping with a delicate touch
No combination of notes he has ever found could ever be intricate enough
Chorus:
You are a work of art, you are one of a kind
You are a work of art, You cannot be defined
You are my song
His brush strokes, his emotion flows, the lyric reflects the sound
Of all the works of art he knows, you are the masterpiece he’s found
No words or sounds of prose can frame your portrait in
For to capture you, he knows, is like trying to paint the wind
Dear Match.com,
Thank you for helping me find my soulmate, Marlo. When I first contacted her,
I did not know what to expect. She did not have a photo in her profile. There was
something about her “small town girl” user name that intrigued me.
As we messaged each other through your platform. I became more and more smitten
Now as you know, Match.com, I was not just contacting people willy-nilly, playing the field so to say. I was hoping to finally find her. I knew she was out there.
You may recall, after a couple of weeks of running home to see her next message
and replying immediately with the sharpest wit I could muster, we decided to call each
other on the phone. I think she was tiring of my run-on sentences. I must reveal that I pre-emptively called her phone to hear her voice on her outgoing message. I was pretty sure at this point. That night we let time get away and talked for hours about everything. After this call, I knew. I had finally found her.
All that was left was to introduce our sons. We each had a boy, mine 4 and her’s was 8.
There was an unspoken condition that if they did not get along, it could be a deal breaker.
Hoo ha, they got along like brothers from the get-go.
That was eighteen years ago, and we still feel like newlyweds. So thank you. Match.com for your little part in bringing this happy loving couple together.
JP
Oh wow……….for me personally this is an extremely easy Advent question to answer. My truly guiding angel is my twin brother John. He as always kept me somewhat grounded & pointed in the right direction. I know that sounds like such a typical “cliche” ” but it is so very true & comes from the bottom of my heart. Being a twin can be challenging at times but the rewards certainly are something special ( I’m sure Mona & Lisa have a similar bond). He is definitely the string on my balloon!!!!
I wrote to my fifth grade teacher to thank her for helping me become a physician. Before her I was labeled smart but hyperactive and poor attention. She made me feel like I had special talents and could accomplish great things.
I’d also like to write a big thank you to Mona and Lisa and Michaela and Rudi for all the happiness and enjoyment watching their videos, listening to their music, and in a small way sharing their adventures and joy of living have given me and my family.
I wrote one to my younger sister that passed at only 18 years old. This was the first time I had to deal with a death of someone I was close to. I was 23 at the time, it was and still is the hardest time of my life.
We are incredibly sorry to hear of the early passing of your sister and can only imagine how tough that must have been and still is. We’re sending lots of love!
I wrote one to my dad.
I wish he was still here..
sigh 🙁
“Still A Friend Of Mine” was the first original song of yours that I heard and it convinced me that you two had something special going on. Yes, John Lennon had his moments, but how would we all fair if every little harsh word or mistake was broadcast world wide. That’s what he had to go thru, and he did it a lot better than I would have for sure. He was honest, open and transparent. But now to my letter of appreciation. My parents. My dad died in 2000 at age 96 and my mom died in 2013 also at age 96.
Dear Mom and Dad: I’m writing this letter as an act of appreciation and to say things that I may not have said, but should have said years ago. You gave me and my two older brothers a home filled with love and happiness. I often think back on my childhood days and it’s always with a warm fondness and a longing sigh. Watching the two of you live taught me more than any textbook could hold. You taught me gratitude for the little things, how to love my fellow neighbors and acquaintances, and even the ones who would do me wrong. You gave me this eternal optimism which I have carried thru life. You sacrificed daily for the love of your children, and I never realized how financially poor you actually were untill years later. You put it all on the line for us. You would have given your very lives for your children without regret. And in many ways you did just that. And if there was anything I did that might have hurt you, I am so very sorry. My hope now is that you two are in a better realm with the joy and peace of a life well lived. And my future hope is that we will someday be once again together. I Love you two with all my heart.
Mona and Lisa: I’m not a guy who cries a lot, but this brought me to tears. Thank you so very much for this.
Letter to a friend who underwent a laryngectomy recently after a recurrence of cancer. Thanks for prompting me to do this.
We wish him all the best and hope he’s not in pain! I’m sure your letter will cheer him up a lot!
My letter is a prayer for the important people in my life who love me unconditionally without judgement even if I don’t deserve it. Even though we are far apart I am with them always.
“Still A Friend of Mine” is a Masterpiece. A beautiful song that stirred many emotions in my heart, and memories in my mind. I have written letters to old friends I dearly love. My oldest friend from childhood who goes back to before we even started school. Another friend, who is like a brother to me, that I met at work back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. He and my middle brother saved me over and over the years following my divorce of my first wife in 1979. And, a former boss and dear friend from my years at The Citadel.
But, today is the 35th Anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife, Laurie. I truly believe that she is a blessing from God, and I pray that he will bless me with many more years of life with her by my side. So, today I will write a letter to her… my very best friend.
I have actually written a few of these letters over the years. I have copies of most of them on my computer, so it’s been fun and interesting to reread them this morning. The one that stands out was posthumous, and since I already made it public I’ll post it here:
On Easter weekend this year I traveled “home” to Lompoc to see my father for the last time in this life. He was not expected to live much longer, so I knew I would be saying goodbye. But how do you say goodbye to the man who put a backpack on your back when you were 9 years old and took you away from city lights and noises to introduce you to whole new way to experience the world? How do you say goodbye to the man who put you through a few years of college which led to a long career in Software Engineering? How do you say goodbye to the man who taught you the importance of family? How do you say goodbye when you’re not even sure he can even comprehend what you are trying to say? I won’t tell you what I said to him, but I’ll tell you what he said to me: “You’ll still have the memories.” And so I knew that he knew what that moment meant.
Of all the things my father taught me, one thing stands out. I heard him say it many times as he cooked dinner on a campfire during our many backpacking trips: “A little dirt won’t hurt”. Think about it. It’s much deeper than it first sounds.
Goodbye, Dad.
My letter would be to one of my teachers at school, Mr Phil Osborne, who taught Frensh and English. He was also one of the “Masters” in the boarding house that I was in from 1970.
Dear Mr Osborne
When I first attended school at 11 years old, as a boarder, you seemed very strict. Over the next 7 years I got to know you so much better and was grateful for the things that you did for a lot of us out of the school environment, arranging summer days out to Blackpool and hiking trips. My main thanks go to you for selecting me, after auditions, to be in the school production of Macbeth at 12 years old. You also produced my final play there in 1976/7 as the lead in George Bernard Shaw’s “The Devil’s Disciple”. The love that you gave me for acting at that early stage has lasted me through to now and I still take actively take part in amateur shows some 50 years later. 2 Christmases ago I played the lead in the musical Scrooge. It seems a far cry from this years festivities apart from the Bah Humbug!
Unfortunately your life was tragically taken, too early, in 1978 but I still think fondly of you and your guidance.
Thanks for everything
Michael.
Mr Osborne sounds like a great man, we are glad he was in your life and that you kept your passion for acting throughout your whole life. We hope you can get back on stage again soon!
My dear friend and wife. I know I’ve said it a thousand times, but I’ll say it again. That one blink of an eye, when I saw crossing the street in the autumn of 1983 and I shouted your name, changed the direction of my life. It’s really funny – or scary – to think that because I missed the express coach and had to take the regular bus, we hit that spot exactly at the same time. We had our ups and downs, but we’re still together having a good time most of the time. 37 years is a lifetime. Our kids have grown up and they are doing fine – with a little help from us. The big family get-together didn’t work out this Christmas. We both miss our grandchildren, but at least we had a week together in October in Lapland. And I’m sure that next summer we’ll be able to have the twins at the new summer house for several weeks. This year the Christmas table is set for two people only, you and I. With the video chat available, we can be in touch with all our kids and the twins. That’s not a bad option. Not bad at all. Love, Robert.
I could tell a similar story of how my relationship began with my wife. And I wrote a similar letter to her several years ago when we became empty nesters. When you think of the things that might divide us (like a big ocean) , when it comes to experiencing life and what brings us joy, we are much the same.
That is so sweet. You are right, it’s fascinating how our lives could all be drastically different with only the smallest of changes.
We’re sorry to hear you can’t be with the rest of your family this year but we wish you and your wife a wonderful Christmas together!
The letter of appreciation I just finished is to a high school English teacher whom I will call Patricia. I was a very socially awkward, shy, introverted 17 year old kid whose parents were deeply mired in the throes of addiction. That fall, I was enrolled in Patricia’s “Merry Olde England I” class. She was a vibrant, enthusiastic educator whose love of literature and writing were too contagious for even the least motivated of students to ignore. The course was a blend of history and literature of Great Britain. Patricia required us to not only read the works of some of the greatest literary figures but also to so our own writing – poetry, sonnets, short stories, and so on. About mid-semester, Patricia asked me as I was leaving class to come to see her during her prep hour. I assumed, given my self-esteem problems at the time, that I was somehow in trouble, even though my grades on assignments were very good. What I encountered instead was the following “deal” she proposed during our private meeting: Patricia identified me as having some talent for writing and she offered me grades of A for the course I was in, as well as for the second portion of the course the following semester IF I maintained good attendance and completed all assignments, and she would evaluate my papers and other work at a college level instead of a high school level so she could help me grow and improve as a writer and student. Of course, it was nice to get a guaranteed grade of A in a course I loved. Any high schooler would jump at this chance. But the life-changing element of the bargain we struck that day was that someone believed in me and in my abilities. She encouraged me through this deal to aspire to greater heights of effort and learning than I would have ever dreamed of had Patricia not taken me aside for our conversation. I never forgot this expression of support and encouragement. I didn’t become a professional writer, but I did complete a reasonably successful career as a counselor and educator, and I made it a point to encourage my own students as much as she did me, and to let them know that I believed in them, even when they doubted themselves. I am forever grateful to Patricia for the gift she gave me in Merry Olde England I!
All the influential people in my life were minor compared to what I learned from my parents, along with my grandparents, and aunt’s and uncles. My siblings and I were blessed to have parents that were always there for us, and prepared us well to handle the problems that life threw at us as time passed.
I wrote my “letter” as a poem to my parents in 1996, on their wedding anniversary. There was a large crowd of relatives and friends there, and it was hard to get up and read something from the heart in front of others, but it was one of those things that needed to be said. I can’t think of anything better than to repeat it:
My Debt
I know I’ve never told you
what you’ve meant to me,
all those years that you were there
when I couldn’t see.
They say with age comes wisdom,
and I’m no longer young,
and I now see how much you gave
in the song that you have sung.
I know that I can never repay
the debt of all your love,
but what I could, I passed along
to mine, with help above.
And if I gave them half the love
that you two gave to me,
then I have given more
than most will ever see.
What a sweet, touching poem, thanks for sharing it here with us!
This is a task that I embrace from the heart as it gives me an opportunity to to reflect and give my Gratitude of Thanks to all who have made an impact in my life in some form or another, though it’s not going to be sent out physically in the mail but sent out through the SpritSoul Express, the best way I know how to express myself:
Dear All who have come into my life
You each mean so much
More than I can say
Everyday
Though some of you no longer are Earthly here
What you did and how
Resonated and blessed me with your RainbowSpiritSoulHeart Touch
That special gift you all possess
Have made a personal impact
More than I can even begin to confess
Eminating from each and every one of you
Your Postivity and such
Strikes a chord
The Contentment restored
No matter where or age
How or what
Good or bad
Flaws
Whatever your beliefs
Something within in You
I have found worthy-worthwhile and true
I say all this and more
As Gratitude of Thankyou
And Forever Source of Ongoing Love Peace and Inspiration
With sincere Appreciation
This poetical dedication
Please continue with what you do and have done
For it matters to me and then some…
[C.]JackiHopper2020 ~♡
Another beautiful, reflective task. As I thought about it, I realized that I am grateful for many, many individuals who played a part, big or small, in my life. Is there any more satisfying feeling than gratitude, especially during these troubling times? I know I feel more content now, after reflecting, than I did before I opened today’s post! At the top of my list, therefore, are Mona and Lisa, for shedding their light in a dark time, for bringing us together from all over the world to harness our collective positivity and love, and for making this Advent a beautiful, magical time. I love and appreciate what you girls said about John Lennon, especially about his “poking at the hornet’s nest” and “trying to figure out where the bad smell was coming from”. None of us if perfect and it is, as you say, “cowardly” to excuse our apathy because we are not perfect. Now for my letter: I chose to write to someone who will never receive this letter, a homeless woman named Pauline who played a part in my life several years ago:
Dear Pauline,
I wish I hadn’t lost you. You will never know how many times I wished to see you again, to know that you are okay. I am writing to express my deep gratitude for who you are, and for how you brightened my life. I’ll never forget the first time I met you. I was walking down a dreary street, carrying my heart low in my chest. I was passing through a terrible time in my life and felt alone and beaten down. You were there, standing in an unused doorway – your “office” as you later told me. You asked if I had any spare change, and when I emptied my pockets and gave you what I had, you looked in my eyes -really looked. You must have seen the pain and sorrow because you said, “I have nothing to give you but a hug. Would that be all right?” You will never know how desperately I needed that hug, that kindness, that day. In your pitifully thin arms, I found comfort. We got to know one another over the following few months, checking in nearly daily to see how the other was. You always had a smile and gentle words for me, always showed concern for me, the one who was supposedly giving to you – money, just money. How much more valuable was your gift of friendship! I remember sitting with you at the local market.I had just given you my full-length down coat as the weather was getting colder and you didn’t have enough flesh on your bones to keep warm. You were as delighted as a child at Christmas. Little did I know that it would be the last happy time we had together. The next time I saw you, you were wearing the coat but you could barely stand. You’d been hurt, broken ribs and bruises. You could barely speak with any coherence. I tried so hard to get you to come with me so that I could drive you to the hospital but panic came into your eyes, as though hospital
meant prison, and you refused. You promised that you would be there tomorrow and if you didn’t feel better, you would come with me to my home so that I could look after you. But, when I searched for you the next day, you were gone. You will never know the tears I shed at not being able to find you. Your “office” remained empty. I fear that you died that night. Please forgive me for not finding you, for letting you leave this earth alone. I pray that my coat, at least, was like a warm hug from me to comfort you. Thank you, Pauline, for your friendship, your kindness, your
compassion, and for so generously sharing yourself with me, a stranger passing by.
Yours truly,
Jeannette
An excellent suggestion, although I expect some letters will be more interesting than others.
In my own case, a letter to my former college professor, who died in 2017 aged 98, and whose funeral I attended as he had retired to live near Perth, will be of very limited interest to others, but here goes:
Dear Professor F
When I look back over my 45 year career as an accountant, first as an auditor and adviser to businesses, later as a finance director, and longest of all as a fiduciary trustee of several large pension schemes, I am forever grateful for your teaching and the influence you had on my emerging values and beliefs.
You encouraged our small student group of seven undergraduates to challenge conventional thinking and “wisdom”, and you suggested much further reading to expand our horizons beyond current conditions. We did read at least some of it.
You also instilled in us concerns of an ethical nature, in terms of both truth and fairness. There was some affection in the way we referred to you among ourselves as “Professor True & Fair View”. These were important inputs to modify what otherwise might have been a more self-centred set of beliefs.
You stressed the benefits of peer review, collaboration and teamwork, and taught us to be open to constructive criticism.
Sadly, our profession chose a path of an explosion in rules-based standards (and today we see a plethora of regulations and guidance), rather than the much smaller set of fundamental principles and postulates we studied in the early 1970s.
Finally, although I can’t recall you ever teaching on such a specific topic as the Cardinal Virtues (of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude), you certainly did stress on many occasions the importance of Dear Prudence. Those virtues have been very helpful to me throughout my varied career.
affectionately
Still A Friend Of Mine is a poignant, yet soul searching song about whats good in life, and those that inspire us.
My letter would be to my mom, daughter, and two particular Twins.
Dear Momma, Maria, and Mona And Lisa,
Its not often that 4 very different women, yet who are the same in many ways, come into ones life. You have inspired what’s good in me and have given meaning to this sometimes dreary life.
Momma, you left this world 35 years ago, yet there is not a day that goes by that something happens that reminds me of you. You were so caring, yet fiercely protected your family, and let us know when we were out of line very quickly.
You were so strong in your faith and inspired so many people that knew you. You shaped and mold me into who I am today.
Your Grand daughter has those same qualitys and I see so much of you in her. Despite what goes on in her life she makes sure that those she loves are first and takes care of them Like no other. She wants what’s best for them and if she can do something about it she’s all in. By her actions and heart she brings out the best in those around her. She inspires me to do better in my life, because I sure don’t want to get on her bad side ever again. I use that reminder daily to insure I try to do my best each day.
Mona and Lisa, you inspire others around you with your caring ways and generous heart. Your private lives are just that, but I can see how much you care about family and those close to you. Your friends are there because of who you are and how strong you have become. Its seldom that young women have the compassion a d strength as the four of you display on a daily basis. Your music has brought about so many lives that are reinspired by the music of our youth, and is new to some. You are highly respected, and are known for the values that you have been taught throughout your lives.
You inspire all of us to want to be better and to want what’s best In All our lives.
To these 4 women who, however have come into my life, I am deeply grateful and better because of it.
Massive Hugs and Love to you all.
Rick Ross
Before I write my letter (I’ll post that after this), I just want to say that the words above from Mona & Lisa are amazing and so deeply felt -that’s for sure! ‘Still A Friend Of Mine’ is a beautiful, yet soul impacting song which has a message for all of us and great to learn it was inspired for them, from the likes of John Lennon. The quest for truth and who we really are, our positions in life, on this planet, etc., are often pushed into the background as they can sometimes seem a little ‘cookie’, but the brave songwriters who leave legacies for us all, are often the ones who had a sincere message that (even if they didn’t know it at the time) when allowed to reach the listening millions, could actually change the world. It is my sincere belief that Mona and Lisa are equally capable of this. Even the bouncing joyful songs of pop they perform at this difficult time, bring a sense of life worth living. And, I for one, thank Mona and Lisa for that very special gift they have.
Thank you for making my day with your intro words associated with this task Mona & Lisa. You will always be ‘A Friend Of Mine’ through your music and thoughtful inspiration.
My letter:
Dear Mr Harrison,
Many moons ago when I was a wee lad, you as my woodworking teacher at Junior School in Nottingham, once told me something that has always stuck in my mind and helped (I believe) now in later life to form who I am and what I became. I would like to explain this and thank you for that. I don’t know if you are still alive or not, but sincerely hope that you receive this anyway.
One day I was struggling to cut a simple woodworking joint into a piece of wood and the other lads around me seemed to be able to do this task easily. I became increasingly upset at myself for not knowing why? Instead of getting frustrated with me, you showed kindness and helped to explain how to do this, taking your time, over and again, until I was able to accomplish albeit a very ragged cut.
I was disappointed at myself, but you looked at me and quietly said, ” Everyone has a gift, this probably isn’t yours but you will have your own that is equal to this and something that others will not be able to do as well as you. Go find it!”
In adult life I became a school teacher myself working in colleges…and guess what, I was teaching basic learning skills through of all things (my passion of bikes) Motorcycle Maintenance. I used to get the worse of all young adult students and mainly those who were disruptive in other classes, but signed up for the bike lessons so they could mess around on the motorbikes (or so they thought)!
But even in the naughtiest of them all, I always got a sense that I could use your words Mr Harrison, and give these often ‘neglected by the system’ students, a sense of hope and self-appreciation. I would sit them down and repeat your words from all those years ago and watch in surprise as their spirits lifted and they felt that someone actually valued them. In some cases (not all), they would find their own particular gift and from time to time at the college, would receive a word of thanks for believing in them, just as you had with me all those years ago.
One particular lad called Martin seemed to thrive in the Motorcycle Maintenance classes and obviously had a passion for motorbikes too, but had recently been in constant trouble outside of school with the police. It seemed his life was going nowhere but downhill.
Then, one day about five years later a young man pulled up alongside me at a petrol pump in a very flashy car. He said “hi Sir”….. My wife asked, ‘who’s that?’ Before I could answer her, Martin went on, “it’s me from your bike classes!”
Inside my head, I went …wow! I learned from Martin that he was now a manager of his own Motorcycle garage business in a nearby town! I was amazed at the change in the young man.
As Martin jumped back into his car, he left me with these kind words…” I want to thank you Sir (I told him he didn’t have to keep calling me that anymore! Hahaha) for what you said to me back in your classes. It changed me. It gave me meaning. I found my special gift….”
So, thank you Mr Harrison. Your kind words of self-realisation helped me to help others like Martin in my life. That is very special to me and I have always known that that was your very own special gift too.
Always in my thoughts, Love and Respect, Nigel.
Nigel that is lovely.
You had a teacher, as did I, that changed your life forever and for the better. From your frustration he saw your desire to learn and gave you guidance on the direction you needed to take. He even made you want to be like him.
My teacher used my ability in his subject to develop me as a person and believe in myself. I also wanted to be like him; positive, caring and so much more but I did not become a teacher. I try to use his influence to help anybody whenever I can and at work (Barclays 29 years) I had the reputation of being a good trainer of others so there is ‘a teacher’ in me.
Sadly not everyone has such a teacher, or indeed person in their lives.
That’s wonderful Philip. Yes, I strongly believe that certain people are put into our life-path so that they can influence (sometimes without even knowing it at the time) in a positive way. I believe, just from reading your reply here, that you certainly are a teacher of kinds -obvious in your caring attitude and kind words. Happy Christmas Philip 🙂