GRATITUDE LETTER

Continued From -  FACE IT

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I thought about different ways to convince them for next two days. While trying to figure out ways from whatever I had read till that day, it reminded me of one of the principles mentioned in book, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People.’ It said that when you want others to appreciate what you have, you should first appreciate what they have. It applied in my situation that I should tell my parents what they had done to me and they will appreciate what I have. The only way to make them believe in me was to appreciate their efforts, their sacrifices and their love.

But, how to do it? Only telling them won’t make any difference. There should be the way in which my deepest feeling will be conveyed. Again, my reading habit came to the rescue. I read a book, ‘The Whole New Mind,’ by Daniel Pink, in which he mentioned about gratitude letters. Writing a letter to your loved ones to thank them for whatever they had done for you. It should be written on the paper in your own handwriting, no typing and read aloud in front of them. He also mentioned that people cry after reading and listening to these letters. Relationships had been healed, strong bonding had been restored and lot more benefits with the single letter.

The concept was simple, but the execution was so difficult for me. I think twice, thrice before asking anything to my father. How was I going to write and read a gratitude letter in these conditions in which he might be mad at me? It was exciting, but I thought about discarding this way. But I had no other way, so I decided to go with this.

For the whole night, when everybody slept, I took a pen and a book and started thinking about all the sacrifices or special things they had done for me from the childhood. Reminiscing all, I made some rough notes of memories. I could recollect from 3^rd standard. Once I got enough memories, I started writing an actual letter. My chest was pounding. I couldn’t imagine what will happen when I will actually read aloud in front of them. It was Thursday night. Till 4 am in the morning, I finished both the letters. One for mother and one for father. I decided that I will read them in front of them on Saturday night. I couldn’t gather courage on that night. So I decided, on the Sunday night. Again, I couldn’t.

While sleeping, I was determined that I will do it next morning no matter what. On the Monday morning, I took two letters and two photographs. One photograph was me and father in which he was holding me on right arm when I was 2 years old and another was me and mother in same pose. I went into the hall. He was watching TV. Without giving any idea of what I was going to do, I started reading the letter which included little incidences of sacrifices and special things he did for me from childhood till that day and thanked him for each and every little thing. He was startled. When I finished reading, I gave it to him with a photograph. I did the same thing with my mother. When I finished with both, father didn’t take it seriously and mother demanded that I should write a book on her, only a letter won’t do anything. We chuckled. I didn’t get any reaction mentioned in that book, so I was little disappointed thinking that the impact hadn’t been made.

After two minutes silence, my mother asked why did I do it? I answered that to appreciate what you had done for me. Then she asked me about what had whether I decided about my future. I told them that I want 4 months to test this idea, and then I will decide what to do. They agreed. I was happy. At least for 4 months, I will live my dream. Who knows what will happen next? But, one thing I learned that day. Only 20 seconds of courage and everything changes.

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This post is also a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge and A to Z Challenge. 

Today's letter is 'G'.

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(Image courtesy of Naypong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)