A Letter - L'ilui Nishmas Shalom a"h

This is a letter I received after my brother's yartziet.
I was so touched that someone took the message so close to their heart and I think this letter is a lesson for all.

Dear Devoiry,

About 3-4 years ago shortly after your brother Shalom ben Chaim Nosson was niftar,your sister, Chaya Sara, came to speak to to us about him and the many things that we can learn. One story that really struck a cord in my heart was when she told us about the countless times he did chessed and favours quietly. Like the time on shabbos nachamu when someone discovered him cleaning up the dining room. ever since that shmooze which really inspired me, i've been trying to go out of my way to help people. I just finished two years of seminary where i found countless of oppertunities to do chessed. there were so many times when i found the dining room an absolute wreck at a very early hour in the morning, and i just wanted to go to bed, but i found myself saying 15-20 minutes of chessed, i could do it like your brother. there were so many incidents like a messy class-room, food left out, making s/0's bed for them, visiting s/o, and i kept saying to myself if Shalom was able to do it so can I.

I continue to travel along this road 3-4 yrs later. and i'd like to say thank you. as i starting giving the more i gave the better person i became, the more i wanted to give, the more i wanted to help, to be there for people. I learnt so much and i would never be who i am today without that special polishing that was inspired by your brother a"h. poeple often ask me what inspired you to be like this, to help others, to give so freely, and i would like to tell you that a large portion of it lies in the messages i heard from Chaya Sara that day about the chessed that your brother Shalom did. very often i found myself repeating the stories i heard to other people, when they ask me those question, and the response has always been the same, lets try to emulate!

I know that when a person is called up to shamyim, it's never easy for thier family left down here.But i'd like to let you know that your brother left a legacy, somthing for all of us to follow,and for that i'd like to say Thank You. I hope this email provides some nechama to you and your family.
im yirtzah hashem we should only hear simchos,
and be zocheh to a proper nechama very very soon!