Letter to An Old Friend

Recently, while doing my dishes, I decided to take the time to write a letter to an old friend. Though we have had the opportunity to talk here and there, it always seems like the thoughts shared are just fleeting most of the time.

I find that one of the best ways of catching up still is a good old fashion letter. Not text, no tweet, no post but just a heartfelt letter sometimes does the trick. Let me share with you a portion of my most recent letter to an old friend.

Dear friend,

It has been a while since we last talked. I wanted to take the time to write this letter to you. You see since we last talked, I have suffered a couple of significant losses in my life. Though these losses threw me for quite a loop, I find myself doing better these days. You would never believe it, but your friend is now a published author! Can you believe it? Me a published author! Who would have ever thought that would ever happen? I have even had the opportunity to do a couple of book signings as well as do some limited travel promoting and talking about the book.

I find myself still lonely most of the time but have come to understand that I am never alone. There is still family and friends to pass the time with. I am still a huge baseball fan and have started my pursuit of visiting every major league stadium. I often must remind myself that I still have so much to live for and not get bogged down in constantly commiserating over what I have lost but to take time to celebrate what I have.

I now am much more discerning about how I spend my time and must be a better steward over both my health and finances that I used to be. I find my apartment both too vast and too confining at times. I have come to also understand that is just the process of getting emotionally caught in-between sometimes. Though I have been long been blessed with the gift of being able to express myself, I often feel that no one understands me anymore.

By the way, since we last talked, we have gone through what some people call a “pandemic”. You would not have liked this; it would have been much too confining for you. Do not worry I stayed safe and have recently received the vaccine for this plague.

But overall dear friend as I begin to close this letter, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I also want to thank you for the many gifts and the enormous grace you have shown me throughout the years. I look forward to chatting with you again.

I will try not to be such a stranger moving forward.

Sincerely

Your friend,

My dear brothers, by sharing these thoughts with you I am not trying to guide you toward any belief system. However, I hope to encourage you to connect to something besides yourselves. I do not have to tell you that the road we have traveled or continue to travel is not an easy one at times. But travel the road we have been chosen to do! Won’t you consider taking the time to write a letter to an old friend? It just might make for a better day!

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Terrell Whitener is an author, motivational speaker, and coach. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Terrell is the author of The First 365, Learning to Live After Loss. Terrell can be reached at [email protected], LinkedIn @terrell-whitener or through the Widow Support Network.