Several years ago the spouse of one of our elected officials died after a prolonged illness. Even though I only saw her a couple of times each year, she was one of my favourite people--the type of person who lit up a room with her gentle kindness and radiant smile, and who managed to make you feel like the most interesting and exciting person in the world. Sending a sympathy card to the member (who had worshipped the air she walked on), I took the time to write out some of my thoughts about his wife.
It was a couple of years later that the widower informed me that my “tribute” to his wife (and heartfelt condolences on the loss of her life) had meant the world to him. He told me that six months after her death--long after all of the other sympathy cards had been put away--he left mine on the mantelpiece. When he was feeling particularly sad and lonely, he’d reread what I’d written about “his Mary.” He told me it would make him feel better to know just how much her gentle spirit had touched other people's lives, in addition to his own.
I was equally touched by how much value he'd placed on the words I’d thought long and hard about before committing to paper. (Every now and then he phones me about something and often mentions the card, again.) That brought home to me the absolute power of personal, authentic…and, yes, hand-written communication.
(Good luck to your daughter's band in the state finals!)
Judy:
Great story .... thanks for sharing.
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