The Power of a Few Thoughtful Words

I wish I was a more thoughtful person. For years, I thought about writing a little note to thank the man who founded my first law firm, a kind and decent and humble man who took time to talk to silly first year lawyers like me. But I didn't, and then he died last year, and I was sorry I never sent him the note I thought about writing all those years.

Tonight, I ran across a note someone sent me seven years ago. I have managed to keep track of that note all this time, despite having the least organized home ever. I have taken care to keep track of it because it meant so much to me. The note is from one of the attorney/instructors from a great trial advocacy workshop I attended that summer. I came out of the workshop with the confidence that I knew how to construct a good cross-examination, but feeling unsure about my "style." We talked a lot about style and I saw people with all kinds of styles at the workshop . . . I worried that I wasn't crisp or commanding enough to impress a judge or jury.

And then, a handwritten note came in the mail, penned in green ink by one of my favorite instructors. I won't transcribe it here, as to do so would somehow seem to make it a little less special. But I still pull out his note and read his words again whenever I doubt myself. He assured me that I can excel at this thing called the law while being myself, finding particular qualities in me that I sometimes find myself having to strain hard to see.

I mention this because I'll bet you know someone, whether a family member or a coworker or an acquaintance, whose day would be made by receiving a kind note from you. It would only take five minutes for you to write such a note. What are you waiting for?