Sunday, October 24, 2010

Unsent letters, part 3

Dear You (and hey, You as well),

Introverts need their space and a bit of alone time. After all this time, You should know this.

Moi

***

Dear You,

It has truly been too long. I'm looking forward to Saturday 'cause I've missed your face. Oddly enough, though we don't see each other much, I find that when we talk, we "get" each other so much better than we used to when geography wasn't a factor. Maybe that's time and circumstance as well, but either way, I like being able to count you among my confidantes and value the maturity and wisdom and non-judgment you've displayed as you quieted my seething rants.

Moi

***

Oi! You!

I'm happy your religion gives your life meaning. Wonderful. Now ease back a little because the sanctimonious air is getting more than a little annoying. And no, we don't want impromptu lessons on the "science" or "importance" of the religion. If anything, it's driving me further and further away.

Moi

P.S. Eyes on the road. I know you're praying and that's why you're not paying attention, but if there is a divine being, he/she/it probably won't waive the laws of physics if some other car suddenly swerves into your lane when you're driving. No need to rush meeting said maker, and certainly not when you've got passengers.

***
Dear You,

I wish I honestly believed praying would help you out. As such, my heart almost broke for you as you told me with barely hidden tears about your husband's suddenly failing health. I offered help if you need anything, but I don't think you'll take it up, nor do I feel there's much for me to do, at least at this point. You're in my thoughts though, and know that I believe you are one of the strongest, most formidable women I know: whatever happens, I know you will make it with the grace and dignity, and yes, quiet faith that I've witnessed so many times.

Me

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Signed, sealed, delivered?

When I was younger, I used to write letters and cards to older relatives, and probably because I was a child and because they were lonely, I received letters and cards and sometimes packages back. I wasn't always the best at doing so with regularity, and while I may have had great intentions to do so more frequently, honestly, I tended to forget to follow through. It gave me a brief twinge one day when I was cleaning to find a postcard that I had addressed and neglected to send to my now-deceased great-aunt.

In more recent years, I've tried picking up the correspondence habit with several aunts and cousins, but they never write back, so I let those trickle off. With friends, I never really tried snail-mail correspondence, but that was fine, because we had e-mail. While e-mail isn't the same thing as a physical, hand-written, genuine, hold-in-your-hand letter, it would typically cover the same grounds as a letter--chatty, reconnecting, sometimes philosophical discussions.

Unfortunately, that too disappears. It's not that we don't keep in touch; there's Facebook for that. But it's not the same at all. While commenting on status updates is a great way to keep up with people's day-to-day lives, it isn't the same as sitting down to a nice, long, thought-out letter or e-mail or composing them, knowing that in a day or few, there's going to be a corresponding one in your own inbox. I miss those.

Ultimately, it makes me wonder: are those days gone too? Am I already a relic in my nostalgic musings for meaningful connection beyond an increasingly soundbite-length attention span?