I needed to write this letter for other reasons, but I want this to be a new exercise for me to do. Stay tuned, also planning one for ex wife, and for the bullies I dealt with as a child. This is for people who have been in my life more recently in my life. I've dealt with a number of employers since my departure from marriage. This is to one of them. I won't name them to protect their interests, so this is my disclaimer:
This letter is written to a real life entity. That entity is a spirit of want, or of greed. This letter is not a reflection on any person living or dead except for their slavery to that entity. If this convicts you that is of your own account. If you are offended, well, in the words of someone whom I respect "live with it. Such problems come with the territory." I welcome any intelligent discussion on the issues. Enough of my legalistic prattle, the letter at last:
To whom it may concern,
For many years I have studied at your feet. Not in the note of one whom puts themselves at the feet of a guru or mentor, but as a slave endures under the boot of their owner. But you do not own me, in truth you never did. But this is not a letter for me to communicate how I have been hurt by you. To be honest I feel like such a letter would be white noise in the environment you create around you. This is a letter to say thank you.
For every lesson I could not have learned without you, I thank you.
I am forever in gratitude to you for teaching me so well. I doubt you even knew you were teaching, yet learn I did. For never being there, you made me learn to stand on my own. By never taking responsibility for me, you taught me accountability. By not making time for me you taught me to rely on a higher power. By throwing me repeatedly into challenging situations out of my depth, you made me stronger. By making me fight to survive, you made me passionate about living. Even as you sucked the life out of me I was stronger to be refilled. You gave me a common good to fight for. You gave me allies to defend. You gave me humility by showing me the frivolity of my selfish pride. You gave me so much. Most of all, deep in my heart you gave me the assurance that someday if I trust in God you will not be in my life anymore. For many years I had lost direction. I knew I wanted to help people but I didn't know where to find them. You gave me a cause. You gave counterpoint to my passions and drives. To an idealist you gave dystopian fear, a community that makes Dilbert look optimistic and makes Camus a ray of sunshine. To a lost man you gave a road to follow, though you are not in the road, you are the brier that reminds me what could happen if I stumble. I pray I always remember the lesson I learned seeing the people who that happened to. Thank you for giving me experience. Thank you for being a challenging opponent, and letting me play hero if only in my mind.
Sincerely,
This guy
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