It’s been an interesting week. I was part of a zoom call on brain health and research studies. It made me think about how these amazing organs process so much of the beautiful things we experience in life: the faces of our loves ones, creative endeavors, letters and literature, sunsets and fireflies—and all the hard stuff in between.
I recently stumbled upon a treasure trove of letters written to me in a very formative time in my life when everything was in flux and I needed some words of wisdom. Many of these letters were from my brother, almost ten years my senior. It’s clear from his responses that I was asking him all the “Big Questions” about Life. I respected his opinions as he handed them out with wonderful kindness and a sense of humor.
It’s been over thirty-four years since he passed away at the age of thirty-eight. The other day I contacted his adult children to ask if they’d want me to send digital copies of these letters. It’s been wonderful hearing their responses to his letters that included so many vignettes of the sweet and ordinary times of parenting: bathing babies, cooking dinner, attending school programs—their lives seen through their father’s eyes.
More than anything this experience has taught me:
Say it now. Don’t wait to express your love & connections to each other.
Write it down on paper, not pixels. Future generations need hard copies of your love.
Note the little things that bring you delight.
It’s okay to “hoard” letters and photos. (Yep!)
