Writing Love Letters to Strangers
I enjoy writing letters. I also enjoy receiving them. Emails and texts have their place, but they can never take the place of letters, postcards, and greeting cards.
There is something special about receiving tangible correspondence from another person. If it is hand-written, it's even more special. Handwriting is imbued with one's personality and style. Getting a letter from someone means they took the time to sit down and type or write something especially for you. It means that of all the things they could have been thinking and doing, their thoughts and actions in that moment were focused on you. That is no small thing, for the most precious and valuable commodity we have in this mortal phase of our existence is time.
Five years ago, I conducted an experiment wherein I resolved to write a letter by hand to someone every single day for one month. I enjoyed it so much I think I ended up doing it for two or three months. In addition to writing letters to friends, family, and neighbors, a great help in accomplishing my goal was my discovery of The World Needs More Love Letters (moreloveletters.com).
The World Needs More Love Letters (TWNMLL) organizes letter-writing campaigns for people in need of love, hope, and encouragement. Usually, these people have experienced or are in the midst of tremendous adversity and trials in their lives. I've sent several letters to people through TWNMLL. It's so great to see their blog posts about the reactions and experiences of those receiving the letters. It makes a difference for good in their lives.
There are other ways to write letters to people you don't know. Assisted living and retirement homes often accept letters for their residents. Many people who live in such facilities are terribly lonely and a letter from someone – anyone – can do so much good. I've also heard stories about people leaving hopeful, uplifting letters in public places – usually outdoor common areas or public transportation – to be found by others. Though I have not done this, myself, I think it's a fun idea and might try it in the future.
Whether a friend or a stranger, never underestimate the power of a thoughtful letter to bring peace and hope to someone's life at just the right moment.
#100DaysToOffload (No. 22) #life #intentionism #charity