found this on craigslist
An open thank you letter to the man who sold me a bad cord of firewood
Dear sir:
Last week I responded to your craiglist post that stated you would deliver a cord of seasoned, split oak firewood for $150. You responded timely and delivered exactly when you said you would.
As I stood there with my two small children and we talked about the fact that we had just bought this old house, that I was new to relying on wood stoves, and that our primary heat was our wood stove, you looked me in the eye and assured me that this wood would burn hot and even. I handed you $150 in cash and off you went.
Later that afternoon I tried to get the fire going. And then I tried again assuming it was my own inexperience. That evening when my husband came home from work he took one look at the wood and explained to me that it was green and not, in fact, seasoned. Our neighbors confirmed and, indeed, it was. My husband called you several times to no avail.
So....I was out $150 in cash that we can't spare, and our house is quite chilly, but still I want to thank you...and this is why:
1. It reminded me of how wonderful my husband is because instead of getting mad he put his arms around me and reminded me that next year we would have a nicely seasoned cord of wood and that really, in the scheme of things, it's only money (even if there isn't much of it.)
2. It allowed me to use the experience to explain to my kids the important of honesty and how our actions affect people in ways we may never know. It also allowed me to talk about the importance of forgiveness.
3. And finally, it reminded me of how I need to work on my ability to forgive. I also wondered, and hoped, that maybe you needed the money alot more than I do.
4. It has also helped me be a little more frugal this month...and that is never a bad thing.
So, I feel better now. You will likely never read this, but that is ok. I needed to do it to help me forgive you.
Sincerely,
Me
An open thank you letter to the man who sold me a bad cord of firewood
Dear sir:
Last week I responded to your craiglist post that stated you would deliver a cord of seasoned, split oak firewood for $150. You responded timely and delivered exactly when you said you would.
As I stood there with my two small children and we talked about the fact that we had just bought this old house, that I was new to relying on wood stoves, and that our primary heat was our wood stove, you looked me in the eye and assured me that this wood would burn hot and even. I handed you $150 in cash and off you went.
Later that afternoon I tried to get the fire going. And then I tried again assuming it was my own inexperience. That evening when my husband came home from work he took one look at the wood and explained to me that it was green and not, in fact, seasoned. Our neighbors confirmed and, indeed, it was. My husband called you several times to no avail.
So....I was out $150 in cash that we can't spare, and our house is quite chilly, but still I want to thank you...and this is why:
1. It reminded me of how wonderful my husband is because instead of getting mad he put his arms around me and reminded me that next year we would have a nicely seasoned cord of wood and that really, in the scheme of things, it's only money (even if there isn't much of it.)
2. It allowed me to use the experience to explain to my kids the important of honesty and how our actions affect people in ways we may never know. It also allowed me to talk about the importance of forgiveness.
3. And finally, it reminded me of how I need to work on my ability to forgive. I also wondered, and hoped, that maybe you needed the money alot more than I do.
4. It has also helped me be a little more frugal this month...and that is never a bad thing.
So, I feel better now. You will likely never read this, but that is ok. I needed to do it to help me forgive you.
Sincerely,
Me
