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With graduation in the air, I felt I should share this story about an unexpected letter I received in the mail before my high school graduation.
Checking the mailbox was a daily event before graduation. Cards were starting to fly in and that usually meant one thing: money. However, one day after school I stopped by the mailbox and as I was sifting through the cards, I found a card with a name I did not recognize. I thought to myself, maybe it’s a cousin I have only met once and would recognize the name once I opened the card.
Much to my surprise, when I opened the card, the first thing that fell out was a $500 check. I was shocked. This was by far the largest amount I had received and outnumbered all of the other gifts combined.
I put the check back in the envelope and went inside to tell my mom and ask her who this person was. She had never heard of the name on the return address either. I opened the envelope again and took out the check and handwritten letter. At first I thought, this must have been delivered to the wrong address; however, I looked again and it was my name both on the envelope and the check.
As I unfolded the papers, I realized it was a two-page, handwritten letter in cursive. As I read, the man identified himself as 80-year-old alumni of my high school. He was an avid newspaper reader and read any and all articles related to my high school. Through his readings, certain students stood out to him for their accomplishments. In his letter, he said he chose me because of the many accomplishments I had achieved during my high school career, both athletically and academically. It was a very touching and sincere letter. He said this was his little way of giving back to the community and helping out future generations.
The following day I went into school and told my friends and teachers about the letter. I found out that I was one of five students who received a check and letter. He sent letters and checks to five graduating students each year and I was honored to be one of them.
I sent him a letter back thanking him for his generosity and thoughtfulness. I did get the chance to meet him briefly at one of the school’s award nights. He presented two additional scholarships to students. I believe he has since passed away; however, its actions like these that really make you appreciate the little things. Hopefully, one day I can pay this action foward to future graduates.
