One of the things I miss most in our digital society is the old fashioned letter. Those ink and paper missives were so much more than just words. The handwriting was personal, even if sometimes it was hard to decipher, and the effort it took said something about how important the recipient was to the sender. Beyond all that, it was something tangible to hold onto. It carried the touch and feel of someone dear to us. That made it precious.
During our son’s time in boot camp we got a letter from him every week. Phone calls and emails were forbidden, so for thirteen weeks those letters were our only interaction with him. I used to read and reread them, trying to read between the lines how he was really doing. I used those letters as the basis of my prayers for him, and kept them close when I was lonely.
Our son told us later that he felt the same way about letters from us. He showed us the ragged mess some of them became from being carried in his pocket for weeks. I always included Bible verses that I’d prayed for him with each letter because I know that God’s word never returns void.
We have another son who’s recently been away from us and I’m relearning the joy of sending and receiving letters. If you’re as rusty as I was, here are some things to include when you’re writing to someone you love.
- Include the fact of how proud you are of them, giving specific examples of what they’ve done well.
- Share news from home. It may seem trivial to us, but those details make us all feel closer.
- Let them know exactly how you’re praying for them and include Bible verses.
I encourage you to try your hand at letter writing. Don’t wait for a deployment, send it now. You may be surprised at how fulfilling it is, and I know it will bring joy to the one you’re sending it to.
