How to Achieve Good Family Relations
How to Achieve Good Family Relations
Our family recently suffered the loss of a close family member. The suddenness of her death left us feeling empty, bewildered, spinning with thoughts and memories - all in an effort to process her death the best we could. We contemplated the last time we told her we loved her. Did we say it often enough or with meaning? Was it glib or matter of fact? Surely she must have known how much we loved her.
A few days after the funeral, while driving the long road back home, I remembered a letter I read years ago by a soldier in the Union Army who wrote his wife to tell her how much he loved her and his children.
I don’t know why I suddenly remembered, but I guess the passion in his letter struck me as written by a man who knew he was about to pass and didn’t want circumstances preventing him from ensuring his family knew how much he loved and cared for them. Unfortunately, his letter was never sent and was found among his artifacts on the field on which he died.
After the events of the past week, the memory of his letter moved me to make sure I said the things I wanted to say before myself or those I love pass to the other side. Perhaps my words are not as eloquent and passionate as Sullivan Ballou, but now I know certain things were never left unsaid.
Think about taking time to tell those you love how much they mean to you. In the meantime, you can read an excerpt of Sullivan’s letter below…
My Very Dear Sarah:
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days—perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more . . .
Sarah my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.
The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood, around us.
I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me—perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name.
Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness . . .
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 at 3:40 pm and is filed under Productivity, Conscious Living, Living Consciously, Goals, Time management, Effectiveness, Personal Growth, Awareness, Success, Power, Purpose, Optimism, Better Living, Achievement, Happiness, Spirituality, Spiritual, world, Personal Development, Self Improvement, daily, wisdom, SelfHelp, Motivation, Goal Setting, Tips, Download, consciousness, Best, inspire Quotations, Fee, Wisdom Quotes, Self Help.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
