How sad is it that our society has gotten away from old fashioned, hand-written symbols of love. Letters. I have to say, I never really cared much for them before, but ever since a few months ago, I have started to see the value in them.
I have a few people that I keep in correspondence with. Some are best friends, one I’ve never met before in person, and another I just met for a few hours through a friend last winter. The thing I love the most about letters is the peek they give me into a person’s heart. I learn so much when I read letters, as well as when I write them. Especially when I write them. Yes, they take time, but it is time well-spent.
The reason I am so adamant about this recently is because of a very special correspondence I just started with the friend I met back in the winter. Granted, it is an email correspondence, but it’s still a great one. I only spent a few hours with him when I did meet him, but he was probably one of the most intelligent and interesting people I have ever met. When I met him, he immediately started asking me questions about the things I keep closest to my heart – that is my faith and my desire to help people. It felt so good to have the opportunity to tell someone how strongly I felt about these things and to speak openly about topics acquaintances don’t usually comfortably talk about. I’m so happy I had that opportunity to exchange ideas and passions with a person who could relate, but from a different perspective than I was accustomed to. From this, I have decided that I want to be someone who people can feel comfortable talking to so openly and seriously. Add that to my list of semester goals.
My main correspondences are with those who I grew up with, who are currently serving the Lord for two years of their life. Whenever I get letters from them, I feel so happy! I love hearing about their growth, the new insights they have, and just how their life is going in general. I love it when I can hear them say the things they write in their letters as if they were right there with me. Facial expressions and all.
My last correspondence is with a girl I have never met in person. But she is one of my best friend’s sisters. She is really wonderful. It has been a while since we have written, but when we were writing regularly, I felt like I was putting together a puzzle, trying to figure out who she was, piece by piece. Which was really pretty fun! She is such a great girl, and I feel like if we were to meet each other in person, we would have a lot of fun together.
I guess the moral of this story is to write your friends! The old-fashioned snail mail way. I feel like I have grown closer to my friends through our continuous letters back and forth. I have also started making some amazing new friends, and have an outlet to tell people my feelings, in a thought-out way, so even I can figure out exactly what I am feeling because I have to put it down in words. It is great for deepening your friendship, to something that is more than just a shallow, casual hello every once in a while, which is great! But the potential of the relationship is so much more, and you shouldn’t belittle it.
Oh Nicole. I am so excited to see you blogging. I think your announcement on fb has up to readers to 7! That's a big jump in one. Hope you have a great time at the Y. I love your home away from home.
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