14 Dec 2018

Tis The Season: 12 Days of Love Letter Writing

The year was 2016.

I call it my ‘make-and-break’ year because it was the year everything fell apart. It was the year everything that supported me crumbled, and the year I had to learn to pick up the pieces and find worth within myself.

It was also the year I discovered More Love Letters.

As someone who resonates deeply with words, I loved the idea of writing encouraging notes and leaving it for people to find. On the days I felt like I was drowning in a pit of darkness and despair, I would muster up all the energy I could to scribble down love letters and leave it around the city for some unsuspecting stranger to stumble across.

In a world where everyone is on their phone, there’s something intentional and life giving about using pen and paper to write a letter and remind someone that they are loved and valuable.

There are only 15 days till Christmas and I’m sometimes guilty of forgetting what this season is really about. I fret over what to buy the person who has everything, social politics, how much to spend, and what Christmas party I’m going to be invited to.

In a season that’s supposed to be merry and bright, it can be hard to feel joy when we’re overwhelmed with fulfilling our obligations for Christmas. We forget that all Christmas calls us to do is to show love and bless others.

I write a lot about showing up for people because I know how easy it is for us to believe that no one is there for us. Sometimes we need a tangible gesture to remind us that people are good, people do care and love still exists.

So this year, I’m writing 12 love letters for 12 beautiful, but hurting, humans as part of the 12 Days of Love Letter Writing. This campaign is designed for people to rally around those who are feeling vulnerable and lacking joy this Christmas by sending them letters of affirmation and encouragement.

I’m honored to be dedicating this post to the lucky last love letter request and I want to encourage you, dear reader, to write a love letter and bless Brynley as well.

Whether you wish to write a whole page or jot down two sentences, I know she’ll really appreciate any sentiment you have to say.

Meet Brynley:

“Brynley is having a hard time adjusting to life at college. She is very anxious when it comes to social situations, work, and especially school.

Brynley has dealt with dyslexia all of her life, but has never gotten a diagnosis for it. She struggled through all of elementary, middle, and high school and persevered despite her difficulties. In High School, she would have her mom read her textbooks, but otherwise she did it all alone. Now that she’s at college, she is having a harder time doing so much school in such a short amount of time. She has tried to reach out to the Disabilities Resource Center, but has had a hard time because she is not diagnosed. I think she needs some encouragement regarding her disability and how she can possibly make this transition a little easier.

Brynley wants to be social, but has a hard time with social boundaries, like the usual length of conversations, and how animated one should be when having a regular conversation. Sometimes she speaks for long periods of time, and people get disinterested. Other times she is overly animated and people get scared away. Brynley needs some love, explaining that it’s okay to be an introvert who has a hard time speaking to others. She deserves to feel like she is welcome, and needs to know that it’s okay to feel anxious. Brynley deserves to be loved and reminded that being quirky and different is okay! Help me show her that!”

Join us in showing Brynley that she is loved + being quirky can be awesome!