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“D-liver D-letter, D-sooner, D-better!” That’s what kids used to write on the envelopes of the summer-camp letters they mailed to their folks. Letter writing was common back then, and letters were often bundled together and saved as keepsakes. Today, though, communications tend to be more temporary—emails (easily misplaced), texts (fleeting), and sometimes telephone or in-person conversations (later recalled only in the most general sense).
Contrary to what you may have thought, letter writing is not dead. But it is rarer than gold—and just as valuable.
So you can imagine how shocked and pleased my husband and I were when, at our son and his bride’s wedding rehearsal dinner six years ago, the two of them each presented their own parents with framed, heartfelt letters of appreciation that described what it was like growing up in the family, what qualities they’d always admired about each parents, and the values they’d learned, growing up, that they planned to bring to their own marriage. My hand still moves to my heart whenever I tell that story or reread our letter. And you can be sure that letter holds a place of honor in our home and that it will be treasured by generations to come.
Nearly everyone wants to believe they’ve made a positive difference to others or to the world. But how will they know they’ve succeeded, if no Image may be NSFW.
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one tells them? Think who’s special in your life—someone for whom the magnitude of your gratitude is bigger than a thank-you note. You’ll bring great meaning to that person’s life when you express it in a tangible, written letter of appreciation.
Yes, you may compose your letter on the computer; technology, after all, is our friend. Then you can either use what you composed as your model for a handwritten or hand-printed letter or else give the printout itself, as long as you hand-sign it. Regardless of your preference, use quality stationery.
You might be surprised to know there are over 150 types of special occasions or commemorations on which such a letter would be appropriate. Besides weddings, milestone birthdays or anniversaries, and cultural or religious rites of passage, consider these current or upcoming seasonal occasions for letter writing:
October: Family History Month—write to an older friend or relative about the positive difference they’ve made; the letter is sure to be saved for their descendants as an important part of the family’s history.
November 1: El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)—write to a deceased loved one and read it aloud; then, depending on the level of privacy desired, either place the letter in an envelope at the gravesite, ceremoniously burn or scatter scraps of the letter, or present the letter to the loved one’s family as a memento that will last through future generations.
November 11: Veterans Day (US) and Remembrance Day (Commonwealth Countries)— write to a living veteran or to the family of a deceased veteran to express appreciation for that individual’s military service and/or sacrifice.
November 20: Universal Children’s Day—tell a child he or she is important and has great potential; besides giving the letter, consider organizing or participating in a commemorative event to honor children.
November 27: Thanksgiving Day (US)—expand the holiday’s theme by having family members draw names a few weeks before the holiday. Each person will write a letter of appreciation to the person whose name was drawn, and on the holiday will read it aloud, during or after the Thanksgiving meal, and give it to the intended recipient. Everyone will leave with a lifelong treasure.
December: The holiday gift-giving season—a heartfelt letter is within anyone’s budget and will mean so much more than a purchased gift; try it and see for yourself!
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Take inspiration, too, from the stories others have shared about their rewarding experiences in writing or receiving a heartfelt letter.
Get started now! These brief videos will help:
3 Easy Steps to Write a Letter of Appreciation (1 min.)
Why It’s Never Too Late to Write a Letter of Appreciation (1.5 min.)
Planning to handwrite or hand-print your letter? First print out these bold ruled lines, in a selection of line spacing, to place behind your stationery as a guide to keep your lines straight.
The post Create a Lasting Memento: Show Your Gratitude in Writing! appeared first on Heart and Soul Ezine.