Dear Lily, I’m very sorry for leaving the community and causing our community and family unit trouble. I know that the memories that I left you must be very overwhelming, but I really did have to leave. Although the community has had Sameness since back and back and back and changing is hard, I knew I had to leave the community in order for you to have those memories. They are important. When the Chief Elder said I was selected to be the Giver, she said I would be in solitude and be in much pain. But with this pain would be knowledge. I knew that if everyone shared the hurt, knowledge, and wisdom, it wouldn’t be so hard to bear. Plus, there would be good for the people to have the memories, too. People need to know what happened in the past to do good for the future. Everyone would acquire wisdom and put their heads together to think of a solution, when needed. The whole community’s wisdom would be greater than the wisdom that the Giver I had, with only two minds. The Giver also had told me that the worst of holding the memories was the pain and that they need to be shared so it is possible for people to feel things. Now that I have left, what do you feel Lily? When I received the great memories of feelings, it felt wonderful. Have you seen the memory of the bright lights and people called grandparents? I felt love there. There was this special feeling that made me feel good inside. There would’ve been no way for the community people to see a rainbow, sunshine, or feel love if I hadn’t left. In addition, after I had experienced my first memory of suffering, it hurt very much. I realized that nobody else in the community had experienced the pain that the Giver and I had. It made me feel all alone and hopeless. So, by leaving you the memories, in a way, I have brought everyone together. I hope you understand why I had to leave.
It has probably been kind of hard, though, to see the memories full of pain. Even if it is hard, I know that things will get better for you. As the Giver said to me, “There are so many good memories.” This is something that I know to be true. When the Giver first gave me true pain of breaking my leg, I was in much shock. I couldn’t believe that this was what the Giver went through every single day of his life. But, it got better. Also, now that you have pain, you also have other great things like holidays and sledding.