Honoring Our Elders
Write to the elders in your life. It will be an encouragement to them and will also give you a little boost in this difficult time. Weeks ago, has it been that long? It feels like months.... Some time ago, earlier in the shutdown, I offered via Facebook to write letters to my shut-in friends. Most requests for a letter came from an older person and one from a childhood friend asking me to write to her mother. The feedback I later received was no less than heart warming.
- Share your memories of them.
- Tell of the impact they’ve had on your life.
- Write a limerick about them. Make it silly but not absurd. The intent is to amuse not to convince them you’ve left the rails.
- Include inspirational quotes.
- Share what you’ve been reading.
- Tell what you’ve been thinking about but keep it light. This is happy mail and a break from the news.
- Don’t forget an enclosure of some kind. My personal favorite is a tea bag but the possibilities are endless.
The benefits you receive from an epistolary act of self giving may even outweigh the benefit to your recipient so write with confidence. Your efforts will not be wasted.
