David's Letter--Bogota, Colombia

Dear David,

Today is December 17, 2005, and I was in the supermarket(as usual). I had gotten near the checkout area when I glanced quickly over the front pages of the newspapers. The main paper had an article about a financier of some sort who'd committed suicide, sadly, at 29 years of age. There's another one, I thought, for in this confusing world of ours those things are always happening. Fortunately for most of us, they are people we've never heard of. I've been sensitive, however, as last February a nephew of mine was killed and my family has suffered a lot because of it. Then I saw the words note, pardon, family and your last name. I knew that last name. I was one of your high school English teachers. You were one of my best and favorite students. You really liked English a lot and were curious enough to be always asking questions about it, not to mention practicing it with me many times when we both had a free period. Don't you remember sitting in the lunchroom which at that time didn't have any walls(I liked it that way since I'm always too warm.)? Your sister studied with my daughter.

David, I'm writing this letter because I want to convey a message with it, and I think you would approve, considering your apology, etc. I'm not trying to offend anyone. I think some people will read it and, as a result, reinforce their struggle not to get caught up in excessive worldly pursuits such as grabbing for too much money, comfort, etc. For example, David, nobody needs to pay 7.5 million pesos for an apartment rent. That's 3 thousand dollars! How many people pay that kind of rent in my country even? Very very few you can be sure. That's one of the pressures you had on your shoulders. I don't know what other pressures you had, David, but we all have them albeit we should strive not to magnify them with excessive demands but to diminish them prudently. David, there's nothing wrong with having ambition and becoming a big "success" in the eyes of the world when it's achieved properly. But the end doesn't ever justify using any kind of means one wants to use. There are limits, David. And God is supposed to be Number One, as He has Himself stipulated. In your name, David, I want this message to be conveyed again(It's the First Commandment in the Bible.) to the readers of this letter.

It's of great beauty that you said you loved your family. You didn't fail in life in that respect, David, for you knew love. And as you were raised in this Catholic country which has first communions for children regularly at 7 and 8 years of age, I'm convinced you asked Him, also, for pardon. Forgiving, of course, is His specialty, David, so you went to the right source. I think you are now at rest. No more anxiety and unbearable pressure regarding the heavy and often cruel world of high finance. Goodbye, David. That e-mail you gave me in McDonald's 2 or 3 years ago never worked for some reason. I tried it. After that, I never saw you anymore. That's not important, though, is it? The message in this letter is.