Gina Heslop
When my granddaughter Sarah’s wedding plans took an unexpected turn, my husband Jim and I were forced to confront her shocking sense of entitlement. What began as excitement for her big day quickly spiraled into a lesson on gratitude and respect that neither of us could have anticipated.
Let me get this off my chest. My granddaughter, Sarah, is getting married soon, and we were over the moon for her. My husband, Jim, and I couldn’t have been happier when she told us the news. We started talking about the wedding right away, thinking about how we could help make it special. But then, everything changed a few days ago.
We got a letter from Sarah that left us both speechless. I still remember the moment I opened it. Inside was a check for $5,000 and a note that felt like a slap in the face. “I want a vacation with my fiancé on my birthday this year,” the note read. “Pay for it. I hope you saved up enough after years of cheap trash gifts for me.”
Let me give you some background. Jim and I have always tried to be there for Sarah. We’re not rich, but we’ve given what we could. Over the years, we’ve made her handmade quilts, given her heirloom jewelry, and even helped with a down payment for her car. We also covered some of her college expenses. We always thought these things meant something to her.
Jim and I sat down at the kitchen table, the letter and check lying between us like a bad omen. My hands trembled with anger and hurt. “Can you believe this?” I asked, holding the letter out to him. Tears pricked at my eyes. “After everything we’ve done for her?”
Jim’s face was a mask of disappointment. “This is just plain wrong,” he said, his voice heavy with sadness. “We’ve given her so much, and this is how she repays us?”
We decided that we couldn’t let this go unnoticed. Sarah needed to understand the value of gratitude and respect. We wrote her a letter in return.
We expressed our hurt and disappointment, explaining how her words had affected us. We reminded her of all the things we had done for her out of love, not obligation.
We also made it clear that while we loved her dearly, we would not be sending her the $5,000. Instead, we hoped she would reflect on her behavior and understand the importance of appreciation.
