This man’s unique Christmas gift to his 9-year-old daughter will teach you an important life lesson. Here is his full letter to his daughter.

At Christmas time, it’s easy to get swept away in the hustle and bustle of shopping for presents and the confusion of trying to figure out what to get everyone. Yet, when we are trying to shop for our children, the choice of toys, games, and technology can make anyone’s head swim.

We want to make Christmas as special as we can for our children and getting the right and at the same time unique Christmas gifts can feel like a minefield. This year, we thought it was time to get back to something more meaningful; a gift that can really stay with your child and enrich their lives in the way all parents hope for.

Our inspiration comes from the words of the American politician, Harry Browne.

Browne’s letter to his daughter is an inspirational and heartfelt expression of love for his daughter, and it is so touching to read that it is certain to put you in the Christmas spirit. Browne’s ‘gift’ to his daughter is a simple statement: ‘No one owes you anything.’

Now, this may seem flippant an insignificant, perhaps even a bit pessimistic, but in reality, it is a beautiful and unique Christmas gift. This statement is truthful. It’s something that we could all potentially live by and it is so incredibly simple.

The truth in this statement is that each person is living for themselves.

As much as people may try to help others, it is important to know that if we really want something that we must go out and take it for ourselves. Like I said, it seems pessimistic, but this is not Browne’s intention. The realization that no one owes you anything is incredibly freeing.

It means that you must work for yourself; you must do what you can to be the best that you can be. If somebody loves you, it is because there is something special about you that made them fall in love with you. If somebody wants to help you, it is a genuine desire to ensure you are okay.

The fact that no one owes you anything also means that you owe everything to yourself. You owe it to yourself to have the experiences you deserve; you owe it to yourself to work for the grades that will get you the furthest and you owe it to yourself to make yourself the person that people respect.

Some people won’t like you and some may not have a reason, but at least they will respect you because you are exactly who you want to be. Some may see you as selfish and others may judge you for not wanting to be around those you feel bring you down, but there is a lot to say for someone who lives for themselves.

Living for yourself means that you don’t need to make any sacrifices for anyone else and that brings happiness and fulfillment that only you can manufacture. It’s not always enough to do what you think is expected of you. Sometimes, you need to be selfish and that is okay under the right circumstances because it will garner resilience that will inspire people.

It can be a burden to feel that you owe something to others and it can be a hindrance to think that other people owe you anything. With this unique Christmas gift, Browne gives his daughter and unprecedented freedom at such a young age, gifting her the knowledge to decide what she wants and begin to work toward it.

By knowing that she is responsible for her own future, Browne shows her how to empower herself so that she can be the woman that she wants to be.

Below you will find the full text of Browne’s letter to his daughter:

A Gift for My Daughter by Harry Browne



Browne’s unique Christmas gift to his daughter is a sentiment that we can all take into consideration in the run-up to the New Year: that others do not owe us anything and we, in turn, don’t owe anybody anything. We are responsible for our own lives, and if we take this into our own lives we can start becoming the people we want to be.

It is important to remember that we are individuals. We do not have to make time for people that make us unhappy, and we deserve to make time for ourselves and do what we feel we need.

By choosing the things that we want, there is so much more motivation to work towards a goal.

We all know that feeling of wanting to get something and doing anything to get it, but wouldn’t it be amazing to feel that about everything you’re working towards? If something is important to you, that is enough reason for you to work towards it and make yourself happy.

This is a lesson that we all need to learn, and gifting it to our children empowers them to be the example that others will want to follow. It may be a controversial gift this Christmas, but it is one that will encourage your children to be the best that they can be.

Like what you are reading? Subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss new life-advancing articles!

Copyright © 2014-2024 Life Advancer. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, contact us.

Leave a Reply