I had never thought before about the healing power of a letter but I am learning that letters can indeed bring healing. Torn relationships can burden a person for years, even decades. A friend recently shared with me a letter she had written to someone who, years ago, had wounded her deeply. I was impressed by her honesty, an honesty unstained by vindictiveness, and assured her of the letter's appropriateness. She confessed to me how much better she felt after writing the letter and only wished she had written it years ago.
This causes me to wonder who I need to write a healing letter to. None of us gets through life entirely unscathed and we all have some scuff on a relationship or a ding in a friendship. Each of us has a former attachment or two that, though once treasured, has lost its fragrance because of some ill word spoken, some misunderstanding, or some inexplicable cooling of warmth. What about that childhood friend that has been missed since that unfortunate episode on the playground or that best friend and secret keeper who drifted away during summer break or after college? Maybe it's time to write a letter saying "I'm sorry," or simply, "I miss you." To whom shall I write and what shall I say? I will have to give some thought to this question. If nothing else comes of such a letter, it will be good to shine light on the shadow of regret.
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Letter Matters
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