ANewAttitudetoGratitude
費斯·安德魯·貝德福特/FaithAndrewsBedford
OneofthenicethingsabouthavinggrownchildrenisthatInolongerhavetobugthemaboutwritingthank-younotes.Whentheywerelittle,allthreewoulddictatethank-yousthatIwouldincludewithdrawingsthey』dmadeoftheirpresents.BythetimeEleanor,SarahandDrewwereoldenoughtowriteownthank-younotes,however,theywoulddosoonlywithmuchprodding.
「HaveyouwrittentothankGrandyforthebookyet?」I』dask.「WhatdidyousaytoAuntDorothyaboutthatsweater?」Invariably,I』dbemetwithmumblesandshrugs.
Oneyear,inthedaysfollowingChristmas,I』dgrownwearyofnagging.Thechildrenhadbecomemother-deaf.Frustrated,Ideclaredthatnoonewouldbeallowedtoplaywithanewtoyorwearanewoutf?ituntiltheappropriatethank-younoteshadbeenmailed.Stilltheyprocrastinatedandgrumbled.
Somethingsnapped.「Everyoneintothecar.」Isaid.
「Wherearewegoing?」Sarahasked,bewildered.
「TobuyaChristmaspresent.」
「Butit』safterChristmas.」sheprotested,puttingonhercoat.
「Noarguing,」Isaidinatonethatmeantexactlythat.
Thekidspiledintothecar.「You』regoingtoseejusthowmuchtimethosewhocareaboutyouspendwhentheygiveyouapresent.」Itoldthem.
HandingDrewapadofpaperandapencil,Isaid,「Pleasemarkdownthetimewelefthome.」
Whenwereachedthevillage,Drewnotedourarrivaltime.Thechildrenhelpedmeselectpresentsformysistersatalocalshop.Thenweturnedaroundanddrovehome.
Burstingfreefromtheconf?inesofthecar,thechildrenheadedfortheirsleds.「Notsofast,」Isaid.「We』vegottowrapthepresents.」Thekidsslouchedinside.
「Drew,」Iasked,「didyounotethetimewegothome?」Henodded.「Okay,pleasetimethegirlswhiletheywrapthepresents.」
ImadetheChildrencocoaastheywrappedthepresents.Whenthey』dtiedthelastbow,theylookedupexpectantly.「Howlongdidthisalltake?」IaskedDrew.
Glancingathisnotes,hesaid,「Ittookus28minutestogettotownand15minutestobuythepresents.Thenitwas38minutestogethome,becausewehadtobuygas.」
「Andhowlongdidittakeustowraptheboxes?」Eleanorasked.
「Eachofyoudidonepresentintwominutes,」Drewsaid.
「Andhowmanyminuteswillittaketomailthesepresents?」Iasked.
「F?ifty-sixminutes,roundtrip,」Drewf?igured.「Ifwedon』tneedgas.」
「Butyouforgotstanding-in-linetime.」saidSarah.
「Okay,」Drewsaid.「Weneedtoaddabout15minutesformailing.」
「So,what』sthetotaltimewe』dspendtogivesomeoneapresent?」
Drewdidthearithmetic.「Twohoursand34minutes.」
Ilaidapieceofstationery,anenvelopeandapenbesideeachchild』scocoacup.「Nowpleasewriteathank-younote.Besuretomentionthepresentbynameandtellwhatfunyou』llhaveusingit.」
Silencereignedasthechildrengatheredtheirthoughts;softpenscrathesfollowed.「Done.」saidEleanor,pressingherenvelopeclosed.
「Me,too.」echoedSarah.
「Thattookusthreeminutes.」Drewsaid,sealinghisletter.
「Isthreeminutestoomuchtoasktothanksomeoneforathoughtfulgiftthatmayhavetakentwoandahalfhourstochooseandsendtoyou?」Iasked.
Thechildrenlookeddownatthetableandshooktheirheads.
「It』sagoodideatogetinthehabitnow.Intimeyou』llwanttowritethank-younotesformanythings.」
Drewgroaned.「Likewhat?」
「Likedinnersorlunches.Orweekendsatsomeone』shomeorthetimesomeonetakestogiveyouadviceoncollegeapplicationsorcareers.」
「Didyouhavetowritethank-youswhenyouwereakid?」Drewasked.
「Absolutely.」
「Whatdidyousay?」heasked.Icouldtellhewasformulatingtherestofhisthank-younotes.
「Itwasalongtimeago.」Isaid.
ThenIrememberedUncleArthur,mygreat-grandfather』syoungestbrother.I』dnevermethim,yeteveryChristmashesentmeagift.HewasblindandlivedinSalem,Mass.HisnieceBacca,wholivednextdoor,satdownwithhimandwroteout$5checkstohisgreatandgreat-great-grandniecesandnephews.Ialwayswrote,tellinghimwhatI』dspenthischeckon.
WhenIwenttoschoolinMassachusetts,IhadthechancetovisitUncleArthur.Aswechatted,hetoldmehe』dalwaysenjoyedmynotes.
「Yourememberthem?」Iasked.
「Yes,」hereplied.「I』vesavedsomeofmyfavorites.」Hewavedtowardahighboybythewindow.「Wouldyougetthepacketoflettersoutofthetopdrawer?」heasked.「It』swrappedinribbon.」