My letter writing days began when I was
fresh out of college and had formed a new pen pal – my grandpa! He
was a faithful writer, honed throughout four long years away from his
high school sweetheart during WWII. At the close of the war, he
returned home and married said sweetheart, my grandma. This year
will mark their 69th wedding anniversary. So my first
letter was to my grandparents.
My second letter was to a girl that we
sponsor through an international organization. She is a beautiful
young woman, who, at 16, takes care of her family and works hard to
succeed in the 8th grade. One of her recent accomplishments: learning to bake a cake! I hope my letters can
inspire and encourage her as much as her life inspires and encourages
me.
It has been estimated that there are
between 20 – 30 million slaves worldwide. Yes, slaves. Some are
forced into servitude, others into prostitution. It is both heart
wrenching and horrifying that slavery persists in our modern day. Thankfully, there are organizations like the A21 Campaign,
a movement that seeks to abolish slavery in the 21st
century. You can read more about them here. They offer many ways
for someone like me to get involved, and today I chose to write a letter to
a survivor.
In our digital age, we can lose the
significance of a hand written word. There is a bond that happens
when we touch the same page that our loved ones hands have grazed.
Each word is carefully chosen and each phrase painstakingly
composed for the reader's eyes only. Hand written notes take time,
and this makes them all the more precious. They are something that
we can touch and treasure for years to come.
I've saved the letters my grandfather
and I exchanged, and I still read them from time to time. Even now,
they are desperately dear to me, because they are tangible reminders
of his great love for me.
Perhaps you have someone for whom you
can compose a handwritten note. Don't wait. Do it today.
Would you like to see slavery abolished
in this century? Here are 21 ways that you can get involved.