Skip to main content

A LETTER FROM A CLIENT


One of the perks [if you could call so] of my job as a software consultant is an opportunity to travel; visit new places, meet new people and try to understand different societies & people’s behaviour. Being a very open minded and a highly perceptive person that I am, I have been fascinated by how strikingly similar they are in one or the other ways, though they are geographically apart and culturally different. My perceptions have changed with time; have changed for the good. I don’t like to be opinionated or judgemental on most of the things; I find it hard sometimes to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad; as I believe it depends on which side of the coin you are looking at.

Anyways, it was my first assignment to US as a consultant in 2001. As I had been just out of college, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what to expect of the visit. But, it turned out to be a wonderful experience and the one that would reinforce my faith on people and belief on human behaviour. I had a very memorable time and made lots of friends. When I wanted to return back to India, to be back with my family, a party was thrown and one of the clients handed me over this greetings envelope [sealed] with the cover written - ‘To Guru’s Mom & Dad’. She also asked me not to open it myself; instead, to give it to my parents.
After I returned home, I handed over the envelope to my father. I was quite curious to know what was in it. The card read ‘Thank You so Much…It was so nice of you and appreciated more than words can say’. Along with it, was a letter, which read as follows:-
Dear Guru’s Mom and Dad,
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that the sacrifice you have made, by allowing Guru to come to Phoenix, has enriched the lives of others. It could not have been an easy thing for you. I know that because it is not easy for me to see him go.
I want you to know that the time that Guru was away from you, he was busy sharing with others the beautiful, caring and wonderful soul that he is and making us all better people by knowing him.
Guru has so often talked about having a father who is a great teacher to others. You should be proud to know that he has observed you well. He is also a great teacher to others. He inspires us all to seek out knowledge and learn what we can so we can grow. I hear the pride and admiration he has for his parents when he talks about his childhood and his family. I see such positive moral values, a great sense of humour and above all, a gifted humanitarian.
I know you are very proud to see the man he has grown to be and I am very thankful to have had him cross through my life. I know all of his co-workers here in Phoenix will say the same. So, thank you for your gift to us and I hope you are happy to have him home.
My Best Regards,
Tammy Warner

I have received lots of appreciations and recognitions from many in my career so far, but this one still holds a special place.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hey Guru,
How are you ? This is Anirudh. Do you remember me ? We were in Manipal together ?
I saw you on orkut and this lead me here. Great writings dude.. Written right from your heart. I live near NY these days. I guess you are in UK.
Anirudh
10:17 PM
Anonymous said…
Really remarkable of your client to have shared this handwritten note to your parents. Really Hard to believe this in 2023 when these days you know about being laid off via an automated notification that access is revoked and your separation allowance is so-and-so package.
3:31 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NOSE AND NOSTALGIA

It has been drizzling for the most part of the day today, here in Ipswich. I feel a very strange connection between some of the incidents that keep happening on a day-today life, like deja vu. Some events act as a time machine taking me back to my childhood incidents. They rekindle the memories of some sweet and cherished moments. The fresh fragrance of the soil after it rained today reminded me of my hometown and my school going days. It was the same smell of the soil after the first rain and I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I remember the time when I used to go to school along with my sister Anuradha, my cousin Asha and other girl friends - Manjula, Susheela, Shahin, Prema. [Yes!!! I was the only boy in the gang and was the next youngest after my sister!!]; all of them happened to be our neighbours. I remember waking up in the morning on a rainy day and wishing if I could sleep for a little more ...
Post a Comment
Read more

DEATH OR REDEMPTION?

Death or redemption? Today, on a Sunday morning, when the weather seems to be cloudy and dull, I felt like writing about death. Make no mistake, the subject is by no means dull or gloomy to me :) As it is a day after Shivratri, I thought the subject is apt - with Lord Shiva, being worshipped as the destroyer, of the Brahma Vishnu Shiva Trinity. Death has been a fascinating yet very mysterious fact of human existence. During school days, I remember reading about a piece which said Death is a great leveller.I could appreciate the thought of the poet even then. While no other life events may be the same between fellow humans, death brings in a commonality across all. Death sees no caste, creed, age, religion, geography, political status, economic status or morality. When it is time, you have to move on, from here to somewhere else. Truth be told. I was quite hooked on to this topic since my formative years. While I used to think about death, I couldn’t share with anyone as...
20 comments
Read more

BE ONE TO KNOW ONE

I had been planning to write this piece since some time, but for some unknown reason, kept postponing. Unknown? Or may be subconsciously being hesitant? I know not of any reason why I seem to stumble for words when I wanted to write about fatherhood. Is this literary choking? (Hmm..wonder if such an expression exist!!) At the risk of making a very generic statement, let me blurt it out anyways. I believe that we, men, seem to have a different connection with our parents. While the relation with mother is more lucid and easy, it is not that simple with father. With mother, it is purely a matter of the heart. We tend to easily accept all her acts as the ones out of love and affection; no much logic or intellect there. But, with father, well… we are not so…(how do I put it)…forgiving? We look up to Dad to be the ‘role model’ growing up; During teenage, the reality sinks in that he is not what we idolised him to be; infact, someone with his own follies. He falls off from the hi...
6 comments
Read more