One recent December, at age 53, John Kralik found his life
at a terrible, frightening low: his small law firm was
failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce;
he had grown distant from his two older children and was
afraid he might lose contact with his young daughter; he was
living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and
baked in the summer; he was 40 pounds overweight; his
girlfriend had just broken up with him; and overall, his
dearest life dreams--including hopes of upholding idealistic
legal principles and of becoming a judge--seemed to have
slipped beyond his reach.
Then, during a desperate walk
in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the
belief that his life might become at least tolerable if,
instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find
some way to be grateful for what he had.
Inspired
by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to
thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he
might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you
notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal--come
what may--of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.
One by one, day after day, he began to handwrite
thank yous--for gifts or kindnesses he'd received from loved
ones and coworkers, from past business associates and
current foes, from college friends and doctors and store
clerks and handymen and neighbors, and anyone, really,
absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large
or small. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes,
significant and surprising benefits began to come John's
way--from financial gain to true friendship, from weight
loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy
collapsed, the bank across the street from his office
failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John's whole
life turned around.
365 Thank Yous is a rare
memoir: its touching, immediately accessible message--and
benefits--come to readers from the plainspoken storytelling
of an ordinary man. Kralik sets a believable, doable example
of how to live a miraculously good life. To read 365
Thank Yous is to be changed.
Comments
1 comment posted.
Re: 365 Thank Yous
I'm intrigued and will find a way to read; I want to 'hear' the end of the story!
(Karen Cherubino 5:10pm January 31, 2011)
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