Letter Treasures

I visited with a dear friend recently, chicken soup in hand. 

She had a health crisis behind her, if only a few days behind.

Miraculously—and I don't use the word lightly—her cancer was found at such an early stage 

that radical surgery was enough to take care of the entire problem. 

The cancer's progress wasn't determined until the operation was underway, so my friend 

went into the operating room not knowing what the news would be when she awoke.

In preparation, she organized her desk, stocked her pantry, and ...

... wrote letters.

She penned letters to her children who, though married adults, found themselves at loose ends 

to witness their healthy-as-a-horse mother in a state of emergency. I imagine those missives

 must have been line upon line of fierce mother-love and faith-filled 

confidence in the grownups her babies had become. 

And a letter for her husband—not one telling him what to do if she died, 

never that. Instead, I'm sure it was filled with fond recollections of a youthful romance, 

assurances of lasting love, and reminders of future dreams yet unrealized.

Ever since I read Letters from Dad, the urging to write a yearly letter to each of my own 

family has been ever-present. I even found the (above) retro envelopes for the letters.

Although writing is my work, these messages have stumped me for several 

years now. But my friend's brave actions have inspired me again. 

Do you have a treasured letter from someone important to you? 

I'd love to hear about that.