fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Declaration Of Love
By: Alejandro Velazquez
Tags: Letters, Understanding, Love, Communication

To: My Light

A love letter may well be the most unique and influential piece of writing one could create and give to another in these modern days, for a letter requires that the writer be genuine and thoughtful with no words unwritten. I know that my side of our relationship has not always been the most reliable, and in fact, quite confusing, the truth is that I tend to manifest situations from my own doing just so I may have an excuse to hurt myself mentally and then fix it. I don’t ever want to do that to you or myself ever again my love, and yes i mean you too, because when I suffer, you suffer. Nowadays I truly prefer to push my selfishness and emotions aside, so I can accept the fact that you may well be the greatest person to have ever entered my life, and I believe the only way to express how much I appreciate you is by dedicating my time and goals to us, meaning whatever we do, we do together.

Now that I have made that clear; let me explain why I love you, your heart, Such a heart like yours I was of not knowing could exist, a soul that hugs so warmly and lovingly, like a cuddling puppy that came into my life, guiding me to peace. I have much to achieve in life and I am grateful to have at least come across your beautiful life-force. Alongside us, I believe we carry a uniquely strong bond that no matter how much we stretch and tear, it stays intact, considering the shocking fact that we do not argue or find red flags in our relationship horrible enough to tear us apart. Although we have had red flags, when I consider how much time has passed with everything we have dealt with, I am reminded on how stupid the little problems can be and I believe that I have learned to not overthink it. I learned to stop worrying about the bad little things and instead embrace the good little things.

Lastly I appreciate you and your understanding nature. Although it can be a little naive, I love how you have a strong sense to hold on to us in the toughest times, for many relationships do not hold on very tightly, with Laura I held on tightly and it hurt me, hence explaining how easily I would let go of us, even though I knew I did not want to, but because of your strong hold on us, I was able to make mistakes and learn from it, and never repeat it again once I have learned it.

I wrote this letter, not so you can cry, or just like it, I truly wrote this letter so that you may understand that I do love you and why. Hopefully my message was delivered.

P.S YOU TRULY ARE THE BLESSING IN MY LIFE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

From: Baby
Mnes
By: Enzo Seven
Tags: Mnes, Enzo Seven, Taylor Perry, Letters, Madia

Enzo Seven

Kaytranada 5000.

9 May 1231

Dear Madia

I miss you, but when I hear your voice on the phone I feel like we are together ones more. When you’re away I still feel your presence near by, I want to forget you cause I know I can no longer be with you, but I can’t forget you, they say ones humans meet for the first time they shair something deep within that parmenantly remains in us, but see I’m different everytime I meet someone is either I let them in, or I don’t, in my own words I call that putting them on mute, meaning I won’t think of you, I don’t know you period, but if I let you in, your presence remain within, something I’m struggling with right now cause I do enjoy your company and your presence, but at the same time I want to forget you, I can’t win knowing that we can never be together again. I miss you

Love Enzo Seven XOXO 🍍
Feminism = equality; people finding fault with equality always surprises me.
By: Lennie Varvarides
Tags: Feminism, Critical Thinking, Writers On Medium, Letters, Equality

To the Men Who Fear Feminists and Feminism

1.1K 12
Dear K.,
By: Waiting For You
Tags: Letters

Dear K.,

Just few days before I had mentioned that world is witnessing a possible end to the COVID 19 pandemic. We are now witnessing a new strain. People are calling it COVID 20. Seems we will witness such new strains throughout our lives. Few of the may important years of our lives are being consumed by the lockdowns. Some reports are claiming that the new strain is more virulent and is affecting younger population. I don’t know what’s true but we all still need to be careful.

As long as there are pestilences, men can’t be free. Economy will again go on downward spiral and people will be doomed to poverty fo r the rest of their lives. The only saviour here will be internet.

There are talks of transfers in my dept. to be possible in near future. There are high chances that I may have to leave Munger. Maybe to more distant districts. I had learned a lot about my dept. Rampant casteism, promoting mediocrity, exploitation of people etc. But the most startling thing that I found was about our batchmates. I hoped that new generation will bring some air of change, but they all are running behind money like headless chickens. How can they be so avarice and shameless?? As if I am the outlier. I keep thinking that I am in wrong company.

“Somehow I have managed to come this far. I didn’t ask for any company but I always wished for one.”

Yours,

A.
Cacophony of the night
By: Sriram Sankar
Tags: Growth, Life Lessons, Letters, Love Letters, Thoughts

Have you ever wondered if in life you’ve been dealt a good hand or a bad hand? Have you ever watched someone silently endure a never-ending downpour with hopeful eyes? Have you ever held out an umbrella for someone drowning in the rain?

We go through life, with the people close to us, supporting them in all the ways possible, standing firmly on those holding us up. We help them in many ways, sometimes it’s a smile, a hug, and other times it’s a conversation. We lead separate lives, separate journeys of navigating through the chaos; yet we are connected by our dreams. Helping each other grow, helping each other see. Together! on separate journeys.

Think. Think about yourself. Think about others.

Feel. Feel for the world.

Live. Live for your purpose.

Be nice. Be kind.

Be humble. Be brave.

Be patient. Be strong.

Be confident. Be a song.

And trust me you’ll belong.

Of all the things this difficult year has taught us I turn you towards the lessons that were crucial in forging our armor, weapons, and strategies for the years to come. The art of letting go, the sword of resilience, the shield of independence, the strength of endurance, the poetry of patience, the boundlessness of hope, and the prayer of dedication. All materializing subtly in the cacophony of the night. Carefully weaving us, hiding the threads, tightening the knots — our experiences shaping us, equipping us to shape our experiences.

I wish to remind my fellow travelers on their independent journeys about the unlimited potential they possess. Go on ahead! one destination after another, remember your lessons, and journey with grace down whatever path life takes you on. Draw from your unlimited self as you push yourself through the thorny forests forging your path.

To you Pooh I wish to say that and so much more. Thank you for being my cheerleader and letting me be yours. We’ve survived ordeals both trivial and grave. Looking back it sure seems surreal and looking forward it still seems impossible. But I know that come what may the lessons never stop and the journey continues irrespective of what hand we’ve been dealt. We will make it regardless of the obstacles. When we do, the sweetness of the reward will be measured in the strength of our characters and the might of our unconquerable souls.
In due time.
By: Oshin Hephzibah
Tags: Poetry, Metamorphosis, Poems On Medium, Faith, Letters

Photo by S N Pattenden on Unsplash

In due time, I tell myself.

To the agile girl, lost in the woods

My fingers, fragile and soft

Seemingly fray, evoked by passion

The array of light, depriving perception

The sheer force of will, encouraging but taunting

Gullible yet determined

And so, in due time

I tell myself.

A little more perseverance

A child-like wonder

Or maybe a miracle?

Seemingly dismayed

Worn out patches, highlighted

The circles that darken my vision

Carry forth

For

I seek and

I humbly abide.

In due time,

I tell myself.
Belle
By: Mayank Srivastava
Tags: Letter, Art, Love, Beauty

Jeanne Samary in a Low Necked Dress by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

I wish I could write you a letter, but nothing more than faux greetings I can come up with when I know you’d read the paper. I’ve pushed the unwarranted onto you once, now I hold my peace since. I’ve made my bed, albeit of nails and I wish to lie in this bed once and for all.

O, mon beau, do the leaves fall the same for you? Does the sunlight still sparkle in your eyes?

Sleepless nights still ensue, you still waltz in and out of my daydreams. I don’t mind them as long as I feel your presence, your hand in mine, your head on my shoulder. You never wanted what I did, but at least you were honest about it.

O, mon beau, Here, I sit lost in old memories, counting every moment I wish to hold onto till deathbed.

I have a habit of living the lies I conjure. Maybe it’s the endless love stories I’ve lived over and over again. It’s hard to draw a line when you are phasing in and out of worlds in your head. One second I get to be with you and the other, the bleak reality that this love was not meant to be, sets in. I can lie again and say that I don’t wish it were true, every now and then.

You are far even though I can see you often. I would wish you were here, but I’ve lost the right. You are the horizon across the boundless ocean.
Happy Anniversary
By: Kim Kimberlin
Tags: Messy Essays, Letters, Marriage

I suppose we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. I suppose we were naive — I’m glad we were both naive. Perhaps naivety is courage for what’s to come, for what’s to come is always more than one realizes. More than one thinks one can take. And so I go back to this naivety; I hold onto it. I see our young, sweet, naive selves. I smile and hug us. I see our bright, blind eyes and then I say,

you did it, you did it, you did it!

And we are, we are, we are.

We are doing it, though we made promises on love with little to no experience for what was to come.

We made promises, arbitrarily, for love makes you do risky things, like get married, as if it’s so easy — seeing only the journey down the mountainside, but not what it took to get to the top.

I’m so glad we took that risk.

I’m so glad we didn’t see the storms that would hit us. The pain and the grief and the confusion and the loneliness. The arguments and the feeling of being so utterly let down. The stupidness.

I always wondered if getting married on a boat in the water was a metaphor for what was to come. The waves. The constant motion. The instability.

But at the same time, I was glad for that metaphor because I felt it at least realistic. I was glad that the moment we each said our I do’s was in no exact geographical location. Maybe we weren’t entirely naive. The sun was shining but we knew the boat was moving, our steps were swaying, the waves were crashing.

The best things come with the hardest work. I truly do believe that. And so we held onto one another and together, we jumped into the water.

Together is what we’ve done.

Together is what I’m grateful for.

I’m grateful that we’ve seen the darkest parts of each other. We’ve experienced the darkest things, together. We’ve seen the bottom of the ocean and guess what, we’re still here, together. And it’s really hasn’t been that scary. We’ve seen our demons and thrown them at each other and we’ve grown to know how to hold one another’s demons. We’ve seen selfishness and we’ve yelled. We’ve been desperate. We’ve been afraid.

Still, I hold our old selves and say, it’ll be okay, it’s okay, it’s all going to be okay. Still, I hold our old selves and say, say yes, say I do, you’ll love it, I promise.

And though this past year has been painful and we haven’t always been at our best, I still know why I married you. I still know what I saw in you and see in you. I still know why we’d thrive and I see how we are thriving. You’re still the person I love. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. And I’m still so glad we’re trying.

I promise to never stop trying. I promise to have more grace. I promise to work on my ego. I promise to trust you. I promise to be faithful to you. I promise to do these next five years, however they come, holding you closer. I promise to approach us with gentleness and compassion. I promise to find laughter in the darkness. I promise to be patient. I promise to be kind. I promise to love you. Yesterday, today, tomorrow.

I do. I still do. I will always choose you.
Application to the H.M/Class Teacher for early leave
Tags: Letter Writing, Letters

To

The HM/Class Teacher

Class IX

(Name of the School)

Sub : Early Leave

Sir,

I feel that I am running a high temperature. I am unable to sit up in my class though I have been trying my best.

I beg of you to allow me to go home at the end of the third period today.

I remain, Sir,

Your most obedient pupil

Sharadindu Sanyal

Class IX, Roll No. 19
I sent you a letter
By: Niet Van Der Zand
Tags: Not To Regret Her, Poetry, Letter, Closures Cost, Love Poem

Poetry: No End (To The Endless Days)

Image courtesy of Intricate Explorer on Unsplash

I sent you a letter, to say that I was lost

Not to regret her

You said that was our closure’s cost

Image courtesy of Nick Fewings on Unsplash

On days, on nights

Down there, walking on the promenade

Under the strings of lights, I held you firm

I was your bodyguard

Image courtesy of Kamal Bilal on Unsplash

That the words should crumble, on distant shores

The ground, the jumble; half-mine, half-yours

With hearing, with healing

Through those revealing searing red lights

We had all of the never, to rekindle our sights

Image courtesy of Melanie Dretvic on Unsplash

That mine were the footsteps, firm on the land

While yours were the echoes, of the all of it to be damned

Early one morning, before the moon had fallen

Before the night had gone

Image courtesy of Tim B Motivv on Unsplash

Out by the shoreline

Our love laid square on

Imperious forever

As lost to two in one
Letters
By: Tessa T
Tags: Writing, Dear Diary, Sad, Short Story, Letters

The letters she wrote were always burnt.

She didn't like writing letters to people. Not really. She liked writing and reading, but when she was actually talking to someone without seeing them or knowing where they were in life? It was awkward and uncomfortable. So, she didn't send anything she wrote.

Writing became a way to release. Most of the time, she wrote when she was angry. Letters four pages long written by cramping hands on paper ripped from notebooks. It was easiest to write when she was angry. It all spilled out onto the page and she barely even thought about what she was saying. Most of the time, she was still left angry by the end of it, with hot tears trickling down her cheeks and shaking hands flicking the lighter.

When she was sad, it was a bit harder to write. Her tears often clouded her vision and left her eyes raw from exhaustion and crying. Sometimes, her tears stained the pages if she wasn't paying attention. Those letters were written to the people in her life that left, either in a casket or a car. It was natural for the words to spill onto the page, but the anger was easier to process.

In her room, there was a little box painted yellow and orange with a sun on the top. She had painted it years before and it stored her letters and lighter until she felt the urge to burn whatever was inside, or until she got the chance. She never reread the letters, but would sometimes check the names scribbled on the backs. In her mind, she saw them as make-shift wills. Mean words nobody would ever hear unless she was dead. She didn't want anyone to read them. She didn't want people to see the darkness in the back of her throat.
The best thing you can gift yourself: is the gift of Self Awareness
Tags: Inspiration, Love, Living, Letters, Friendship

The best thing you can gift yourself: is the gift of Self Awareness

Become your own bestfriend

Know yourself

Ask yourself, like you would ask others- how are you today? How are you now?

Why do you feel this way? What triggers those feelings?

Know what you like, even if it is pink and not white

And when knowing is not clear, it is clouded by thoughts

Always, fall back on your feelings

Underneath all the chaotic thoughts, poking you with ambiguity

Your feelings will never deceive, they will only,

and only relieve.

That’s the Light, that Coldplay sings about

to guide you home

Yes, my dear, that Light is within You

It is undeterred by thoughts

It is ego’s anti-dote

Even when you “think” it is right

Your feelings will only tell the Truth.

Be self aware, and live the truest form of life there is.

Love,

Always,

Cheer
Dear K.,
By: Waiting For You
Tags: Letters

Dear K.,

It’s the second letter in the series. Although its begening of the end but I can help myself to tell you the things that I find worth telling.

Two important things happened this week. One was well published, the other did die dow un the alleys of data points.

The news of rollout of vaccine received widespread coverage, but the release of first phase of NFHS-5 data did no attract much columns. Both had significant insights on the nature of future we might have in the coming days.

Vaccine will make us free but the data of NFHS 5 makes me worried about the future we are going to have. The mot important takeaway from the NFHS 5 data is the declining fertility rate with only three states above the replacement level fertility rates i.e. Bihar, Meghalaya and Manipur. This mean the population of India will stabilise by at max 2045 with upper limit of 1600 million. This is going to have profound effects on the economy and lifestyle. Demand will slowdown in most sectors except healthcare and entertainment. India will face the middle income trap with growth rarely crossing 5% level(caveat being the next year due to low base effect).

What this means to people like me if I would have to continue in the same service… Declining revenues mean that my department will be forced to work over time. More dealers will be brought under scrutiny and assessment. Declining tax revenues will force govt to cut more spending from health and education. Hence low level of human development will lead to low quality of human capital formation, which is already affected by the pandemic(India has slipped in HDI rankings). It will widen the gap between the rich and the poor, leading to law and order problems. We are already witnessing this in Bihar.

How come it may relate us?? We will be at the extremes of the the social sphere of revenue generation. Your profession will accumulate more wealth due to more geriatric care, and lifestyle diseases. My profession will be to extract more revenue fro the wealth. Both our professions will have insatiable demands. It is estimated that almost 20% of the population in 2045 will be above 60 years. The revenue demand of govt will cross 100 lakh crore. I don’t know what will be system of tax collection in 2045 but it will be surely more efficient than the techniques used now.

All this will imply that my breed of people will be detested everywhere especially in the rich circles. But there is a contrasting scenario too. What if I leave this job and join any service which is related to law and order. We may complement each other. Unfortunately it is jus wishful thinking. Rest assured I will get more distant in future.

I have no demands from you that you ever read this letter. I have learnt to live with your neglect of my feelings. I only hop that I remain alive long enough to write all the things that I wish you knew.

Yours,

A.
Dear K,
By: Waiting For You
Tags: Letters

Dear K,

It’s another letter in the series of telling you the deep structures of the current world. It’s more of a reverberation of the ideas of an obscure philosopher Zygmut Bowman, who had coined the term liquid modernity.

The whole world is facing a sort of crisis in last 5 years, which has resulted in the rise of various right wing demogauges. Many countries are witnessing protests on massive scale. India has seen two massive protests in form of CAA and FarmBills. Why are such protests happening and what is the common thread that links them??

The whole infrastructure of the protests rests on the idea of modernity. The current modern and postmodern world lies on two important flows, migration and globalisation. These flows lead to diffusion of ideas through time and space. These flows are needed for transformation of any society from pre modern to modern.

Modernity is characterised by two facets, order building and economic progress. Order building means to ordain purpose to all the things, tangible or intangible. Anything having no purpose or utility in the modern scheme of things has to be discarded. Economic progress means increasing economic efficiency, so that we produce more quantity of goods with lesser people.

With both these forces in play, the older system in which many people were surviving tend to misfit in the modern system. Suppose there is a porter, having a particular utility in the past. With bags having wheels, they have become redundant. Similarly, many professions which employed many people have turned redundant. This redundancy increases with increase in economic efficiency. Those redundant people tend to force change in the status quo. Hence all the unrest.

People like us have found the place among misfits in modernity. Others aren’t so much lucky. As tax official, I too may be redundant soon. Doctors may too get a bit complemented by medical tech, but they will remain relevant. Others will just be a tool to drive consumption. If you can’t consume, you will be driven to bottom until you become extinct.

But, our story won’t be unique. There are many such examples. The main issue lies here is lack of dare. Hope I may find it in future.

Yours,

A.
I love you.
Tags: Letters, Love, Life

Words change lives. Not because they are destined to, but because they mean something. To the person writing them, to the person reading them.

I love you.

I mean it. With every fiber of my being, I mean it. I have spent 19 years listening to each ‘I love you’ like it was my last. My heart getting lighter each time I hear it. I hope you feel the same when I say it to you.

This is a love letter, from me to every person who has ever been in my life.

Every once in a while, I come to the realization that I haven’t treated you right. That fills me up with immeasurable grief. Hollowing me out, yet making my heart heavier than ever. And every single time this happens, I cry until I can’t anymore. Today I am not going to do that.

I wish to make amends. Amends for words unspoken, for the inaction. Amends for the time lost and hurt I’ve caused. This is my way of making amends.

You came into my life for a reason. You helped me grow, helped me become the man I am today. I owe everything to you. And yet you never asked me for anything in return. For that, I love you.

I know I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I truly am sorry. I know it’s too much to ask for, but I am asking for you to trust me again, because I cannot do without you in my life.

I love you.

Thank you for making me love you. For this is my life’s purpose. You showed me all that I needed to see, held my hand when I needed it most, made me smile, made me cry, helped me stand back up when I fell to the ground shattering my heart to pieces. I know this letter is not the best one ever written, but that’s not the point.

Words change lives. Not because they are destined to, but because they are true. These words are true.

These words are true.

I love you.
Hi world! I’m Ilya and i play on guitar in The Chokeberries!
By: Ilya Dzerzhinsky
Tags: Stories, Rock, Life, Groups, Letters

Hi world! I’m Ilya and i play on guitar in The Chokeberries!

Sometimes i will tell you some stories which happened in my life. So sometimes you can feel happy or sad when you read my stories. I hope, you can spend your time very well!

Ilya.
Scent Of Gratitude
By: Marwa Ashfaq
Tags: Gratitude, Handwritten Notes, Amal Academy, Love, Letters

Gratitude is an act of appreciation that acknowledges the importance of people, things, events, and their role in our lives. We express our gratitude to show our gratefulness or appreciation of something.

When we express gratitude, it shows courtesy and appreciation towards the source. Expression of gratitude strengthens bonds amongst people. When we express our gratitude, our family members or friends know that we appreciate the things they do, and the efforts they make. It makes us feel that we are truly blessed in so many ways. It strengthens relationships. It brings us peace of mind and makes us feel good.

Jar Of Gratitude

There are many ways to express our gratitude towards our loved ones, but the first one would probably be through words. I am so lucky to have such people in my life who support me and positively influence me.

Out of all, one person who stuck by me through thick and thin is my cousin. We share a special bond. We live in different cities and don’t talk daily but we know that we will always be there to listen to each other’s rants or gossip or cry together.

That’s why I wrote a letter to express my gratitude towards her. I am going to post it in a while but I couldn’t wait to share it with her so I sent it to her via text as well.

Attitude Of Gratitude

Her response was the best thing of my day. I felt so satisfied after she responded because her being happy makes my day. And, now I miss her even more.

Immaterialistic ❤

We all should thank those who impacted our lives positively and what’s the better way than a hand-written letter. If we won’t acknowledge their importance now, then when? This pandemic has drifted us apart from our loved ones so it’s the least we can do for them. As Henri Frederic Amiel said :
A letter from a school to the SC/ST welfare Office for Book Grants for SC/ST students
Tags: Letter Writing, Letters

A letter from a school to the SC/ST welfare Office for Book Grants for SC/ST students Rashtrakutas ·Dec 16, 2020

Ref. No. 93/95 Dated 16 November 2020

To

The SC/ST Welfare Officer

Bishnupur

Bankura, West Bengal (India)

Sub : Submission of Form No. 2 and input statement for SC/ST Book Grants

Sir,

I beg to submit herewith the Form No. 2 and input statement for SC/ST Book Grants for the SC/ST students of this school for the year 2020-2021. This may please be acknowledged.

Yours faithfully

………………..

(Signature)

Headmaster

(Seal of the School)

Credit by: Rashtrakutas
Surat Untuk Tahun 2030
Tags: Hope, Letters, Future, Aku

This is part of journey that I can express thought and feeling. so let’s begin.
[Day1] 30 days challenge for writing a simple letter
Tags: English Learning, Writing, Letters, 30 Day Challenge, 30dayswritingchallenge

[Sender]

Hi Jack,

I was sorry to hear about the issue with your APP that you received yesterday. However, I’m afraid that we cannot have a responsibility for this matter. From my understanding, the root cause is that the third-party library has some potential issues, so that APP face the bug. On my side, we’d better figure out the alternative solution as soon as possible, otherwise, that APP will crash again. By the way, I saw you book the meeting at 2 pm but I’ll not be able to attend. Could we postpone the meeting to 4 pm?

Best regards, Jeff.

[Replier]

Hello Jeff,

Thank you for your clarification, for the change of the meeting, I think it’s fine to arrange it at 4 pm. By the way, we were supposed to prepare a brief guideline before this meeting. I think that guideline would be helpful to get to know the details quickly.

Thanks, Jack.
Write a letter to the landlord asking him for rent receipt
Tags: Letter Writing, Letters

Write a letter to the landlord asking him for rent receipt Rashtrakutas ·Dec 15, 2020

Dear Mr. Naik,

I have been your tenant since ..... at the premises of....... and I have been paying you the house rent regularly.

Read : Write A Letter To Your Landlord Requesting Him For Repairs In Rented House

But in spite of my repeated requests, you have not yet issued me any rent receipt. I would once again request you to issue me the same as soon as you receive my letter. Otherwise, I shall be compelled to take legal steps in this respect. Now everything depends on your goodwill and consideration.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully

........................

(Signature)

Dated............
Letter
By: Sean Zhai
Tags: Growth, Art, Relationships, Blue Insights, Letters

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Open Letter to Celine from Before Trilogy
By: The British College
Tags: Letters, Writing, Trilogy

The British College strives to be a world-class college in Nepal offering British and international qualifications.
What’s My Prompt? Day 14: Jeff To Jeff
By: Jeff J.
Tags: Creative Writing, Letters, Writing Prompts

What’s Good Jeff,

I’ve been thinking about what to tell you for a minute. You would think writing a letter to yourself should be easy, but it’s been a long time since I’ve walked in your specific shoes. Life was simpler and teeming with promise. Opportunities abundant. New friends to make. New lessons learned. But this is about what I’ve learned since your time that I can impart on you about our journey and what to cherish.

First of all, I’m still a colossal nerd, so you can understand why I won’t divulge my age, location, or when I’m writing this. I will do anything to preserve the sanctity of the timeline and the specific journey you walk now. Our specific journey. Now to the good stuff.

Embrace your creativity — Your mind was destined for more than the mundane work of “safe” jobs. Appreciate the things you create, your passion for all things technology, and the connections you make with people. That probate was only the tip of the iceberg. You’ll soon see the power in your personality. Exponential power

Cherish your strongest relationships — Your family should be your North Star. Your safe space (that term will be funny to you years from now) where you can truly be you. Whomever you consider family, show them the ultimate love. Pour into them twice as much as they pour into you. Live within as many moments as possible. And take MAD pictures. It might feel OD, but the memories will live forever.

Heartbreak is inevitable — Not just in love. In business. Your personal finances. Friendships. Brotherhood. Your ultimate measure is where you stand in times of challenge and controversy. Show who you are. Remember you can only control what you can control. Experience those feelings, let them pass through, and then respond with a clear mind.

It all works out in the end — Admittedly, I’m most nervous about telling you how my version of you many possible futures ended up. I had so many lofty goals at your age. Some exceeded expectation. Some failed. Some deferred dreams, others altered. I’ve joked repeatedly about what Jeff @ 21 would say to current me if I heard how life shaped up. But when I reflect on the last _____ years of my life, to be where I’m at today is all worth it. I wouldn’t change much because those trials made me who I am today.

Life is a fantastic voyage, and you haven’t even set your GPS yet. Enjoy it. Appreciate it. Revel in it. Then strive for better. I love you even more than I did then. May your journey to this era be safe, fulfilling and worth it for you.

OK OK, one spoiler for you: Our hairline is still strong and skin type immaculate. Make sure you did what I did to be able to stunt like this too :)

One Love

Jeff
For Frances | 02
By: Zoe Mills
Tags: Series, Letters, Fiction

December 13, 2020

Dear Frances,

Let me tell you about my yellow house. The taps leak and I listen. The kitchen is warm and dark. The ceilings are low. The windowsills are as good and deep as any desk. Please know that I write to you from my yellow house.

I hold my pen in my teeth (you hate this) and I look out the window at the small patch of grass that grows between the yellow wall and the old fence. And even when the snow comes down in sheets, as it does now, the birds gather on this patch of earth and pick at the feed and the twigs that are buried there.

I’m more afraid of birds than I should be. The big ones, with their soulless eyes and broad breasts, those sharp dino talons. I don’t care for the little ones either. Not that they could hurt me, but surely I could hurt them. I’m scared that I’ll be walking down the street, not really looking where I’m going, and I’ll step on one. Crush it under my boot without much effort at all.

But these birds, the ones I see outside my window, are just fine. All day I watch these small brown birds and fat flakes of snow throw themselves around the yard. The snow: falling down and then getting blown back up into itself. The birds diving in perfect unison. I wish you could see it.

Arduously, I carry the need to show you beautiful things. This is a kind of loneliness, a kind of motherhood. I cradle this heavy feeling and take it everywhere I go. I take it to the grocery store. I buy enough food for the both of us. I take it to the movies. I let it talk the whole time. At night, I kiss its head, I let it rest. And in the morning, sleeping right where I left it, is this living thing that resembles me just as much as it resembles you.

Though this was a feeling given to me by someone else (by you, effortlessly), I can, and will, raise it on my own. I am learning to be such a good mother to beauty.

Tell me, friend, are there birds where you are?
A Letter
By: Harley King
Tags: Poetry, Relationships, Communication, Love, Letters

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Helpful Letter #4
By: Tom Handy
Tags: Writing, Writer, Planning, Letters, Holidays

Hello! I hope you are doing well. Each month I analyze my stats. I use the 15th of the month as a guide on how I am doing. Right now I use that as a benchmark to estimate how my income will be for that month. Normally, if you double the income you should have an estimate on how you’ll do for that month. You may be off by a few dollars unless you have an article that takes off the second half of the month. For me, that has worked out.

This month appears to be another challenging month. With the Christmas and New Years holidays approaching, I think you’ll see fewer views during that time frame. People are going to spend more time with their family and they may not read as much.

So I think this could be the last week to make a serious dent in your writing before some people take some time off of Medium. Give this week your best.

Take care,

Tom
A Letter to my Mother
By: Michelle Loucadoux
Tags: Relationships, Family, Covid 19, Love, Letters

A Letter to my Mother

Photo credit: Author

I recognize that this global pandemic has affected every human in a different way. So many have known so much loss. So many have lost their jobs and are struggling to put food on the table. For me, I just really miss my mommy.

I understand that so many have seen so much dire hardship. It doesn’t take away my sadness that the last time I saw my parents was over a year ago. I live 2,370 miles from my parents and, due to health concerns, we have been apart since September 2019 (we were supposed to see them in March of 2020.)

My parents are not in the best health and my husband and I are both considered “high risk,” so we have been waiting patiently for a reunion. For a long time. I have a two-year-old son who has seen more of his grandparents on the computer than in person. And most of all, the more time marches on, I realize that our finite resource is running out, whether we have decades, years, or months.

I am the only child of the most loving parents one could imagine. I have tried for my many years on the planet to mess up the solid foundation that they have instilled in me. To no avail. I still always say thank you, I believe that I can do anything, and I would literally give my shirt to someone who needs it. This is none of my doing. I could only be described as a good human because they created me as such.

My mommy is sick. And she’s tired. And she has responsibly been inside her house for over nine months because she is ultra-high risk. I want to hug her. I want to drive/fly/run/crawl to her, but I know that I can’t take that risk. I don’t know what else to do other than . . . write. Because this is what I do know what to do.
A Letter to My Future Self
By: Shawn Something
Tags: Self-awareness, Self Improvement, Development, Letters, Mental Health

Hey mate,

Are you happy yet?

Really hope you are. Really hope that this emptiness and exhaustion is just temporary, that there is a perfect bite of a burger at the end of this.

Weird huh? How is it possible that everything can be going so smoothly and yet I'm still not happy?

The void feels more like a wave. It comes and goes, but crashes harder with every subsequent visit. I wish you are able to deal with this. Able to ward off the wave or at least fill the void.

Are you happy yet? How did you do it?

Is it me? Am I just making myself miserable? That's got to be it. Just feeling sad so I'll gain the pity of the people around me just to feel some sense of importance.

Things are looking up though. Things have been looking up for a long time. I'm lucky enough to admit that, lucky enough to realise my privilege and indulge in it too. So why don't I feel like I deserve it?

Okay, I'm not happy now and that's fine. I can deal with that. Gotta deal with it, but please tell me this is leading up to something. Tell me it's leading up to something good.

I sincerely hope you are happy now. I hope everything just clicked and you found your way.

If you are already there, can you give me some advice? How long does this last?

One day I'll learn your secrets, one day I'll figure out how to make myself happy. Though, all of this rambling, this desperation, this search for fulfilment relies on how you answer this question.

Dear future me, please answer this question.

Are you happy yet?
GIVE ME A HUG
By: Prisie Nnamani
Tags: Writer, Sad, Letters, Pillow Talk, Personification

Hey, I know life has been hard on you recently. I know this because you take it out on me… literally. Last night, I watched you sleep from the corner of the room where you left me. I had never seen you so troubled, not even in consciousness. I watched you all night long and wished to be close to you, to give you some sort of comfort. I didn’t mind if you hit me again or scream or bite. I’d have gladly taken anything as long as it wasn’t this confinement and abandonment. Anything, as long as it didn’t make us both feel lonely

Sitting here in this little corner watching you wake, I realise I still don’t mind. I long for you to grab me and give me the fiercest hug that resonates the pain you feel inside. I want you to squash me in your arms and give me a bit of the sadness you feel. I want to hear the sweet, slightly fast-paced thumping in your chest as you hold me ever so close. It’s okay if you cry. Honestly, I’d love that. You’ve been so focused on ‘holding it together' lately that I sometimes fear you’ve fallen completely apart. So, please cry. Cry for the both of us. Cry as you hug me fiercely and let your tears fall freely on me.

And when you’re done, I want you to rock me gently as your grip begins to loosen towards gentleness. I want you to hold me and know that by being this vulnerable, you are strong. I want you to wear your heart on your sleeve. Wear it and wrap it around me so we can both find a measure of the peace we desperately need.

Yours forever (hopefully),

Your favourite (but lonely) pillow
I Only Know About You Once a Year
By: Maren E Morgan
Tags: Christmas, Letters, Holidays, Cards, Friendship

I Only Know About You Once a Year

I have friends living far away for whom I care even though we are no longer in each others’ lives on a daily or weekly basis.

Some are former work colleagues. Others are school cronies or distant cousins.

Since I have moved several times, former neighbors also make up part of my group of Christmas “wassup?” friends. I truly look forward to the exchange of yearly greetings because I want to get caught up.

(By the way, I am not referring to cards including a 2-page single-spaced brag announcement or a blow-by-blow recounting of hideous medical procedures.)

I am talking about cards, e-cards, and blanket social media holiday posts which include references to our common past. They give me the information I would ask about if we were having a telephone conversation or an in-person chat.

Treasures in the Cards

I like good news about children and nieces or nephews of my friends.

I delight in their good fortune — it is such a nice change from the info that news media choose to present to us. Since these are the young people in the families of people whose judgment and friendship I already cherish, of course, I love hearing about all their good breaks, awards, and accomplishments.

I have learned about performances in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade and awards in scouting, good experiences at summer camps, job internships, or travel.

As the years go by, I celebrate the arrival of babies of my friends’ babies.

From other friends, the annual Christmas contact may bring news of professional achievements and the launching of a new business endeavor. Sometimes, I can report back that “I saw your name mentioned in a national magazine!” That is special.

Annual Connection

Although we may never arrange our lives to actually meet again somewhere, I do not forget my “Christmas card friends.” I count on receiving an update each winter. I hope they do, too.

Just because we no longer live in the same neighborhood, or state, or country, does not mean we do not live in each others’ hearts.

Forever.
On loving…
Tags: Letters, Love, Inspire, Relationships

On loving…

Dear Soulsister,

In one of my childhood endeavours, I was forunate to meet a guru who taught me something that took years for me to comprehend, she used to say:

God helps those who help themselves

— one of the foremost guiding principles for me, and the reason why I shared about “choosing yourself” in a quest and dynamics of living through relationships.

You might ask or perhaps even indulge in self doubt when thinking about relationships not working out and especially though that didn’t work out.

And that’s why, self-care or self-compassion, the act of being your own bestfriend, is needed to replace the worst critic. That is the place from which you develop a being of love, invite changed perceptions and life transforms.

And that’s why I hav to tell you that — when pondering over past relationships, you’re capable of loving. When you think of the past, remember the feeling you were living, where you wanted to give love and plant it everywhere.

You’re capable of receiving love: before things went sour, you had a person who showered love, acknowledgements, appreciations and compliments. You’re worthy of it all. Meanwhile, all those who care for you and are meant to be with you in life and spirit are right here, with and for you.

And perhaps, most important of it all, any kind of relationship it be, it will give clarity of who you are, what you need and don’t need going forward.

So, cherish life!

—cherish how each relationship has been a turning point to better things. You will emerge finding that in times when you thought you can’t get through despair or you felt unworthy, you are much more than that, and no matter the circumstances, that you’ll always move towards a better place, for you are already at it.

Love,

Always,

Cheer
Letter to an Unborn Child
By: Satya Johnson
Tags: History, Covid 19, Unborn Children, Letters, Wonder

Years ago, before you were born, I sat on my bed one Thursday evening and wrote you this letter. I didn’t know who I was, let alone if you would come to exist and who you would be; so I couldn’t write with you in mind, thinking of your smile, your eyes, your laugh. Instead, I tried to make a portal back in time for you, so you could see the past from my perspective. The part of the past I wanted to tell you about was the COVID-19 pandemic that came to the United States in February of 2020.

Major changes to the American way of life come about frequently, as technology progresses and beliefs shift. Usually, though, they happen slowly, and it takes looking back to see how things have changed. Not so with the change brought about by this pandemic. In the course of a few weeks in late winter, touch between those outside of one’s household became taboo by necessity. Very shortly, everyone began covering their mouth and nose in public. Being within six feet of someone outside of the household became an instant trigger of anxiety and discomfort. This monumental change in the way we interact took place over a snapshot in time; it was the remaining months and years that held its aftermath, that showed the slow way it changed our minds.

When we watched movies from before the pandemic and saw people sitting maskless, close around a table, our chests tightened as we drew our breath; the feeling of hospitality, the joy of welcoming someone into your home, was gone, replaced by fear. The instinctual reaction when another human came near was to reach for your mask, you’re covering that said, “I am removed from you. We are safe.”

Some gave up, or refused to believe in the necessity of social distancing, and went maskless to parties, just as they had before the pandemic. We shamed them for endangering us, and the fear sparked rage and division in our hearts. Others believed in what they were told by the media and the scientific establishment, but grew tired, and began carrying out their instructions halfheartedly, letting their guard down out of sheer exhaustion. And the virus continued to spread, faster than ever.

As the days grow shorter and the year towards its end, I sat down to write you this letter. I didn’t know how much longer the pandemic would last, or if people’s hearts would ever become free of the ingrained fear of human contagion again. But I knew you’d have some more perspective than I did, and as they say, hindsight is 2020. That’s why I didn’t try to tell you what happened in all its depth and complexity, but only attempted to give you a window into what I saw that year. I hope it helps you understand.

To the future,

Satya