Now that the whole world has gone digital, VHS tapes feel like a relic from another time. But for the few people who still own a VCR, there’s something magical about their tactile quality, the way you have to lift the lid and blow on the tape before watching the machine eat it, and the way the grainy footage crackles like a low fire.

Nowadays, no one makes VHS players anymore, and they can only be bought on eBay. Which is probably why this heartwarming letter from an elderly gentleman on how much his VCR means to him is currently going viral.

The 86-year-old wrote that he had recently found several VHS tapes and wanted to see what was on them when he realized he had nothing to play them on. So he went on eBay and found a great offer, and wrote the seller a beautiful letter about all of the memories it yielded once he remembered how to work it.

“I watched tapes of my retirement party from 25 years ago which I had never seen before,” he wrote. “Jeez, we were young. Then a tape of my wedding with all the family and friends, many of which are no longer around. Then skiing trips, kids growing up, travels, and most importantly the gentle maturing of my family. Each one more than the last. All thanks to your generous selling of the VHS player.”

The letter was shared by Twitter user @OriginalYoni, and it got over 62,000 retweets in just two days.

The post inspired people to share other stories of times when selling something on eBay brought enormous happiness to a stranger’s life.

And there’s a lesson to be learned not just in cherishing your memories but also in taking the time out to thank people who have impacted your life in some small but meaningful way.

And for more heartwarming stories, read these personal testimonies from Twitter users on times when a random act of kindness from a stranger made all the difference.

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