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Maria Morava is a Newsweek reporter based in Edinburgh, U.K. Her focus is reporting on relationships. She has covered news, culture and trends, and entertainment at previous publications. Maria joined Newsweek in 2024 having previously worked at CNN and PinkNews. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds an MSc from the University of Edinburgh. You can get in touch with Maria by emailing m.morava@newsweek.com. Languages: English, Albanian.
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A gamer took to Reddit to share a deeply personal and hurtful message he received in a birthday card from his grandmother.
The post, which included a photo of the letter condemning his “gaming addiction,” drew strong reactions from Reddit users with more than 48,000 upvotes and over 6,200 comments. “It was my birthday a couple of days ago, and I got this card in the mail from my grandma … not going to lie, it kinda ruined my day,” the man wrote in the post.
The handwritten note contained a stark and unsolicited message: “May God heal you from your gaming addiction to game playing so that you can give attention to the important things of a grown man and soon to be a husband, a healthy man. may God convict and convert you to the truth of God’s plan.”
The poster later revealed in the comments that, despite the harsh words, his grandmother did include a token of affection: “She gave me a $25 Starbucks card to at least get something nice to drink,” he wrote.
The Online Debate
The online community reacted with a mix of humor, sarcasm and thoughtfulness. Many Reddit users found the note to be an out-of-touch and judgmental overreach.
“I just assumed that getting called a bunch of slurs by eight-year-old children in a ‘Call of Duty‘ lobby was part of God’s plan,” one user posted.
Others took a more direct approach, suggesting the man respond with his own passive-aggressive message.
“Did you write her a thank-you note with a little helpful message of your own? (‘May God heal you from your judgmental ways and compulsive need to give unsolicited advice, so that you can focus on becoming a positive influence in the lives of the people who love you’),” the commenter wrote.
One person simply pointed out the note’s repetitive nature, writing: “I enjoy the repetition. It really drives the point home, the repeating.”
The discussion also delved into a deeper, more theological perspective on the grandmother’s intentions.
One user said that many people misinterpret the biblical phrase “put away childish things.”
“They were taught that the verse that says to ‘put away childish things’ means to stop doing whatever you did as a kid,” the commenter wrote. “Instead of what it really means: gain maturity in your thoughts and stop judging people, practice love and compassion and help others. Pretty much the opposite of how many of them act and think.”
The Unpopular Opinion
Perhaps the most-challenging response came from a fellow gamer who offered a moment of uncomfortable introspection. The commenter’s “unpopular opinion” suggested that the man should consider if there was a kernel of truth in the message.
“Unpopular opinion from a fellow marathon gamer others would consider dangerously addicted,” the user began. “Maybe Grandma is right? It doesn’t ever cross your mind? Maybe this is why it ruined your day because, deep down, a part of you agrees with her. Is the worst part to you the fact she brought God into it?”
The story has become an example of the generational and cultural divide that exists over technology and when something loved becomes “dangerous”—but the consensus seems to be that only the poster can decide that for himself, not God.
Newsweek reached out to u/Humble_Menu8644 for comment via Reddit.
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About the writer
Maria Morava is a Newsweek reporter based in Edinburgh, U.K. Her focus is reporting on relationships. She has covered news, culture and trends, and entertainment at previous publications. Maria joined Newsweek in 2024 having previously worked at CNN and PinkNews. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds an MSc from the University of Edinburgh. You can get in touch with Maria by emailing m.morava@newsweek.com. Languages: English, Albanian.
Maria Morava is a Newsweek reporter based in Edinburgh, U.K. Her focus is reporting on relationships. She has covered news, … Read more
