Chain letter

To the next occupant of this homeroom 103 desk; although I do not know you- or maybe I do- I wanted to leave of piece of me behind for you to find. So when you find this simple letter written upon a scrap piece of paper, I hope that you don`t merely discard it but instead, consider its contents with an open mind.

                I want to change the world if only in some small way, I want to change someone`s life, even if it`s only for one day. To do this I live my life reserving any unjust judgement, accepting everyone equally and doing little things to help others; picking up dropped change for the person in line in front of me at the grocery store, holding doors open with a friendly smile, answering any questions that may find their way to me always with an open heart, free of judgement. A simple act of kindness can change someone`s day for the better, why would anyone not want to bring a little bit of happiness into someone’s life, no matter how brief the moment.

                I want the world to stop the hate, to stop the racism, stereotypes, discrimination. I want people to look into the eyes of those they pass and think of at least one positive thing about each one of them; turning their mindset into a positive one. I’m sick of the fighting, sick of the lies, sick of the abuse and pain we cause to one another, why? What satisfaction do we get from seeing sadness in the eyes of human beings? We are cruel to those we do not know yet we are quick to ignore any natural flaws in the ones we hold close to us and we expect strangers to ignore the one’s we ourselves humanly posses. We are hypocritical and selfish beings. But I want to change that, at least for a few people.

                So, as you read this letter I left, I hope you consider my words carefully. Whether or not you chose to step from the collective thoughts of society and take a moral stand is, of course, all up to your discretion. The only thing I ask from you, as a favour to whoever sits in this homeroom next year, using this very same desk, is to leave my letter back in its place at the end of the term, leave it even if you chose not to follow, so that the next person has the option of making that decision for themselves.

                Have a wonderful life and maybe tomorrow when you’re having a terrible day, I’ll be the one to offer a helping hand and brighten even your day.

Sincerely; desk occupant from 2000-2001

Author's Note

I didn't write something like this when I was in highschool; although I wish I had.

Reviews

[Marie Harrison]

What a sweet story, I enjoyed reading this story. Sometimes I think it takes using vices like racist comments, bullying tactics and other forms of abuse to shed them. Once they blow-up in your face and you hurt someone your really love or lose a cherished friend as a consequence, they lose their appeal. But your letter would help them recognize these lessons when they arrived. Fabulous story.

[Dana Kathryn]

this is an exceptional write...Beautifully pure and caring :) It made me think more on how i should conduct myself in public,We are All facing our very own struggles and battles,lets be kind,send a smile to a sad person,help an older person carry a heavy load...ect.. A little human compassion go's a long way ,thank you for this insightful poem!

[Zachary_James]

Great

[Luna Northstar]

Awww, this is so sweet. I think I'm going to do that.. I'm leaving my school next year... so maybe it's a good way to leave my mark. And, if I got a letter like that; I'd love it. That would make my day. I love this story, it's really sweet :)

[spence]

This sounds so much like something I would have written in high school and they are definitely things that still underpin my ethical considerations, my social conduct, (most of the time, at least), and my artistic expression.
I like this type of writing for reasons that go way beyond pedantic regulations as defined by the grand masters who sit comfortably in the stale institutions of the arts- these are the wishes of a caring heart, a loving soul and an idealistic mind. They are also the fundamental points of raw expression upon which, I imagine, you base your entire world view and behaviour as part of an inherently flawed species that, much like a growing child, is apt to self destruct or fall headlong into the oblivion of folly.
I like the premise of the chain letter, (I actually used to leave notes similar to this on buses and trains as I travelled about places as a young person- trying to 'spread the love', as it were), and the 'pay it forward' type of philosophy that underpins the motivation behind writing something like this.
It is a sad indictment to the world that words such as these risk being made a mockery of and those that write them are considered hippies, hopeless idealists, utopian fantasists and/or wimps and wusses. This usual macho reaction is probably the by product of years of patriarchal dominance throughout civilisations. So far we have only experienced the way of war, but hopefully words like this will be looked back on as calls to sanity in a once insane world and students will ponder as to why nobody took it seriously. I enjoyed reading this, take care, spence

[mope]

What a nice write. Appealing to the better nature we all too often forget that we have. Thanks for the reminder.