Friday, August 27, 2021

August 27--Do You Like You?

I have made my world, and it is a much better world than I ever saw outside. 
--Louise Nevelson

    The introvert's rallying cry! I've worked long and hard to reach the point of being comfortable in my own skin. I like being alone with me. I crave it even. I can set aside all the awfulness of the outside world, at least for a time. The world I grew up in was not an emotionally safe place, so I learned to spend a lot of time alone in order to protect myself. 
    Just think--if we would all create an inner world of peace, harmony and joy, what a spectacular "outside world" we would have. It starts with you and me, each individual soul. 
    As part of the world I have made, I am very fond of the practice of hand-writing and snail-mailing letters and notes to friends. Below I offer a meditation by Henri Nouwen about the subject. Enjoy!
        Leta


The Beauty of Letter Writing

As I was writing letters today, I realized that writing letters is a much more intimate way of communicating than making phone calls. It may sound strange, but I often feel closer to friends I write than to friends I speak with by phone.

When I write I think deeply about my friends, I pray for them, I tell them my emotions and feelings. I reflect on our relationship, and I dwell with them in a very personal way. Over the past few months I have come to enjoy letter writing more and more. In the beginning it seemed like a heavy burden, but now it is a relaxing time of the day. It feels like interrupting work for a conversation with a friend.

The beauty of letter writing is that it deepens friendships and makes them more real. I have also discovered that letter writing makes me pray more concretely for my friends. Early in the morning I spend a little time praying for each person to whom I have written and promised my prayers.

Today I feel surrounded by the friends I am writing to and praying for. Our love for each other is very concrete and life giving. Thank God for letters, for those who send them, and for those who receive them.



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