1Reviews and everything / Letter to the editor
.docAlex Kvartalny @ flamedragon27.blogspot.com
Group 501
A Letter to the Editor
Rottenrow, Crosshands, by Mauchline
KA5 5TN, Ayrshire, UK 02380 5522
alexander.kvartalny@gmail.com
"U WOMAN"
Room 53, 850 Third Avenue,
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Chief Editor
October 1st, 2009
Dear Mrs. Babaeva:
First of all, thank you very much for the work that you put in your magazine. I first came across U WOMAN 6 years ago and could hardly wait to lay my hands on it since.
I am writing this letter in response to the article Could You Throw Out Your Child? by Jane Bidder published in the latest issue of your magazine. I was deeply touched by the article and felt I had to comment on it.
My name is Alexander, Alex for short. I am 21-year-old language student living in a university dorm, so I’m not dependant on my parents for housing. I have lived away from my parents for 5 years now and can say that it has been wonderful experience to live on your own. Plus I’ve enjoyed it in the dormitory very much and it has been so helpful and fun, though crowded a bit. I can’t say I belong to Boomerang generation and I’m convinced that in order to maintain better relationships with your parents one must live separately from them. This way there is somewhat less hostility and you don’t stir up tensions. Of course it is more expensive to get education that far away from home, but I can’t say that the expenses are exorbitant. I work part-time but I’m grateful to my parents who, in addition to being supportive emotionally, support me financially.
I’m graduating in June but I don’t see myself moving back in with my parents after such a long time. And I don’t see that going home may seem a heaven-sent solution. If I do, the relationship with my parents will be more on equal footing. I realise that for my parents my return can be a godsend. And though I help them as much as I can, let’s face it, we have different lives and living together won’t be fun at all.
What overwhelmed me in that article was those parents’ attitude. How could they have thrown out their own children? That is completely outrageous! I understand perfectly well that having a son who comes drunk or even picks a fight with his dad is not the best option but it is an opportunity to show your love and understanding of a person’s weaknesses. Though I can’t be 100% sure, I think that finding a B&B and asking my son to leave will be the last thing I do. The so-called cooling-off periods are practically excluded because hopefully I’ll be able to understand my son’s actions. In addition to the things mentioned, I don’t want to bitterly regret such stupid actions such as throwing my own flesh and blood away. Do I want to leave him with nothing and then spend weeks scouring the streets in search of him? The answer is clearly NO! I don’t want to wish I could turn back the clock either. I agree that the story in the article zeroes in on a huge problem – if you throw out your child, you never know what you’re condemning them to. No matter what it takes me to look after my children I will never be bogged down with suchlike responsibilities as throwing them out. Nor will I even try to clip my kid’s wings.
Thank you for your time that you took to read my letter. I wish you every success with your magazine and I’m looking forward to future issues.
Yours truly,
Alex Kvartalny.