Chapter 28 : Thank you

I want to say thank you to all the people who phoned me and spoke directly to me to wish me well in my recovery.

I want to say thank you to all the people who personally sent an email direct to me.  My knowledge is that I have replied to all these people when I have received the email.  Sometimes my knowledge is wrong and I make mistakes.  If I have missed anybody then I apologize.

 

And the final group of people I wish to thank are the people who have bought a get well card, wrote inside the card, bought a stamp and posted the card. Every single card has been unique, contains honest writing and says something. It says that the person sending it cares. And when I receive the card it always stirred memories. Good memories. Memories of good times; of a good relationship.  I will now share some of these cards with you.

Dearest Alan,

We all appreciate your years of care and dry sense of humour and the wonder ceilingart! We hope your new chapter is one of recovery and a positive experience.

Fondest wishes

Dear Alan,

I was sorry to hear that haven’t been well, but very pleased to hear that your health is improving.

Warmest regards

Dear Alan,

When recently I booked an appointment to get my teeth looked at I was shocked to hear you are unable to work due to an illness. I do hope you are on your way to a complete recovery now and can turn your attention to other areas of life that bring you enjoyment and satisfaction.

Kindest regards to you and family

Dear Alan,

You will be pleased to know I that I have made an appointment to see the new dentist but I can already tell you it will not be the same with you not being there to greet me and look after me. Thank you for always taking such good care of my teeth.

Kindest regards from

Dear Alan,

I was sorry to hear that you haven’t been well and hope you are making good progress in your recovery. Thank you for your excellent service over the past 20 plus years

Kindest regards

Dear Dr Carlton,

I have recently received a copy of your letter to your patients regarding your sudden and unbelievable stroke.

I must say how concerned I was regarding your health, but am led to believe that your recovery is progressing well.

Yours faithfully

I don’t want to say things like, “I have to thank these people.” Because it’s just not true. I don’t have to do anything. I don’t have to thank these people. I want to thank these people.  I consider myself incredibly lucky to have this opportunity. If things had of gone another way I would not be capable of thanking anybody.

 

I really am incredible grateful for what the people have done. Every one of them has made an effort. They have done things which they didn’t have to do. They have looked for a card, bought a stamp and they have written in the card. Sometimes they made the card themselves. They have put some words in the card which express their real feelings. And when I read the words feelings arise within me. Long buried feelings come to the surface.  Probable different feelings from what the person sending the card was experiencing but that is okay.

When I read the card I am normally transported back in time to the last time I saw the person. And being a dilettante writer I am amazed at the power of words. Both the power of sending them and the power of receiving them. Words unlock ones soul. And the person reading the words may see something different and then imagine something they have not previously imagined.

   

What else can I say? I am using words to say that how words are incredibly powerful. Not these words of course. These words are a partially constructed edifice hopefully on the way to a building of value. These words are the random thoughts of a brain damaged retired dentist.