A few years back I found this lovely operation: The World Needs More Love Letters. I like writing snail mail, and when I began practicing calligraphy it became a wonderful way to share that with folks too.
The way it works is that a loved one requests love letters for their person. They share background information about why they want their loved one to receive these letters. Sometimes the stories are heartwrenching.
Writing the letter can be hard. What lovely, nice things could you write to a stranger who has gone through so much?
Sometimes I worry about writing the wrong thing…
Today I wrote a couple of letters to folks, and I feel heavy after. One letter goes to nurses who are losing hope and purpose in their work. One goes to someone’s former student who has been on a ventilator for 75ish days.
For the nurses, I wanted to go to advice mode. “Join your union, if you haven’t already. Strike!!” To be clear I don’t want any of their vaxxed or immunocompromised patients to suffer unduly by their absence, but I really wonder if a nationwide strike is one of the things it would take to help our government to take Covid seriously. (I don’t want those who chose to remain unvaccinated to suffer either, but choices have consequences. Should those nurses be expected to sacrifice their own mental and physical health when the unvaccinated didn’t take their own health seriously?)
In my letter I avoided going down the “advice road” and let them know my heart goes out to them. I thanked them for the sacrifices they’ve made to take care of their patients. And I sincerely wished them to take care of themselves as much as possible.
To the girl on the ventilator? I could only wish her healing, recovery, and the support she needs while being bedridden. I reminded her of the love her teacher and sister feel for her, in wanting folks to write love letters. (I had to push aside what I know about folks that have been on ventilators for too long…)
I hope I wrote the right things to these people: positive messages that show that even across states and as strangers, that I do care. To share that energy of love from one human being to another. If I wrote the wrong thing, I hope my intention shines through.
I find writing these love letters to be a wonderful lesson in humanity. I don’t know who these folks voted for. I don’t know what race or color they are, nor what their religion is. I don’t know if they are rich or poor. I don’t know if they are neurodivergent, disabled, neurotypical, or able-bodied. Some live in other countries, so I might not be so familiar with their culture. Even with not knowing any of this, I’m able to sit for a few minutes and write a note filled with love, the best that I can convey it in that moment, and send it to another human being. I try my best to put myself aside for those few minutes, and just think about the message they might like or need to hear.
In The Book of Joy, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu say that connectedness is one of the key components to living a joyful life. I really love that idea, and when I reflect on my life I think that it’s true.
I also love that someone started this More Love Letters work to help to connect us all a little more, even when it’s hard.