# A thank-you letter to the Health Minister

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-thank-you-letter-health-minister
- Themes: praise, gratitude, kindness
- Life situations: hospital stay, wanting to complain, workplace culture

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A monk enjoys his stay in Fremantle Hospital because the nurses are so kind; at Ajahn Brahm's suggestion he writes to thank the Minister of Health, and gets back a personal handwritten reply: your letter made my day.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

there's some time ago, one of our monks spent time in hospital. I think it was in Fremantle hospital. And I asked him when he came out, it was only a small thing. How did you enjoy it? What was it like in there? He said, wonderful time, people were so kind. And they were just so nice to me, all the nurses. I said, well, you should actually write to somebody to thank them. And he wrote to the Minister of Health. Said thank you for your hospital. You know what happened, then it was McGowan. Was it McGowan? Minister of Health anyway, Minister of Health sometime. He got this personal letter back, not dictated to a secretary not printed out. But handwritten. Oh thank you so much. I got your letter that made my day. Thank you for enjoying this this wonderful health service; and signed, the minister or something.

## Teaching point

Praise is so rare that it opens doors complaints never do.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A monk wrote to the Health Minister to thank him for some very kind nurses and got a handwritten reply: your letter made my day. Complaints are so common that praise stands out. Think of someone whose work made your life easier, a nurse, a teacher, a bus driver, and tell them. It takes a few minutes and can brighten their week.

## Source

- [How to deal with rejection and lack of self-worth | Ajahn Brahm | 30-01-2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enFEj7wKrnM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:28 to 39:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enFEj7wKrnM&t=2308s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Just Praise | Ajahn Brahm | 18-11-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWpaj3Ptzic) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:09 to 53:36: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWpaj3Ptzic&t=3189s