One of my goals for the last five years has been to write at least 100 letters each year.
Old-fashioned, snail mail letters, written or printed on paper or cardstock and mailed via envelope and stamp.
I managed to achieve and exceed this goal in 2021 and 2022, and I’m well on my way to hitting the goal again in 2023.
In fact, I’ve written and mailed over 500 letters in the last five years.
It’s a joyous, eternally fulfilling, deeply rewarding practice that I will write about someday soon, but last week, I was the recipient of such a letter, and it overwhelmed me.
Without going into detail, a person who read my book, Storyworthy, four years ago and was deeply moved by it (and later hired me for a coaching session) wrote to tell me how much Storyworthy and my latest book, Someday Is Today, has meant to him.
Also Homework For Life.
The letter caused my heart to soar. It was filled with kind words and unforgettable expressions of warmth and gratitude. It’s something I will truly treasure forever.
He also added that he wanted to include a gift along with the letter. But sensing that I’m not a materialistic person but still wanting to do something meaningful for me (and wishing he could somehow award me the rank of Eagle Scout), he sent me a Bruce Sprngsteen pin that he found among his father’s things.
I am not a materialistic person, but damn is this the perfect gift:
Small, specific, meaningful, nostalgic, and filled with history. The kind of gift that will forever be attached to the sentiment of the letter and the notion that it was once worn by someone who loved Springsteen as much as I do.
I am constantly encouraging people to write letters. The results and returns have been remarkable.
But in this case, I can speak directly to the value of receiving a letter firsthand.
Receiving the letter was genuinely exciting. The words expressed in the letter touched my heart. The letter itself, with its message permanently transcribed on paper, is safely tucked away, ready to be read again at some point in the future.
And the pin will serve as a constant reminder of those words forever.
A simple, beautiful, eternal gift.
I couldn’t be more grateful.
