The Value of Family

Following is a letter from a 12-year-old girl to her grandfather in the retirement community where Nancy and I live. She wrote the letter on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Only the family name has been changed.

“It is amazing how one little act of kindness or one little thing you do can really benefit someone’s life! You have no idea how happy you can make someone feel just by even visiting them! There are many examples of things I learned from the O’Malley family. They have helped me learn the importance of family and how having a good relationship is very important!

“The importance of family is that family comes first, always! You have to take care of each other so when they have families of their own; they know how to take care of them too!

“You have to spend time together if you want to create memories! Laughing and sharing moments together is good for your soul! Doing things together helps you remember that family is the best of friends that you will never lose, and that will always be right by your side no matter what! The more time that you spend together, the better relationship and the better memories, you will share together!

“I know that the little things that you do for your family and friends, can make them happier than ever before! An example of this is when my whole family went to visit my grandpa on his 80th birthday. We had dinner with him and he opened up presents. That night we talked, laughed, and laughed some more! We made him a book of memories and photos of the family! It was a great way to display such happy and memorable moments! My grandpa was so happy! It was a simple thing to do, and a very easy way to make him happy! This taught me that we should all try to do something nice/kind to make someone happy every day!

“Family is the most powerful love, greatest love that you could ever have! Family encourages you to follow your dreams and to take chances! Family does things for each other that they would not do for anyone else. Family is just, super exciting! There is never a dull moment! Sometimes you lose friends easily, just from something stupid or something that you said. But family will NEVER leave you! They learn to forgive after you make a mistake! Nothing is more important and powerful than family!”