LETTER WRITING & END OF A DECADE

Everyone has been publishing the top events of the decade, instead of the past year as usual. I have been thinking of the top good or bad events of the past ten years and think of two major events having good and bad about both.

My two major events are daily reminders through two letters, one was a thank you letter received five years ago and the other a letter congratulating me on a honor that I had received. Several years ago, while attending a conference the key note speaker said to hang on the wall any letters you had received that made you feel good. The plan was to be able to see and allow the letters while dressing in the morning to make you look forward to another day.

My two major events and letters:

1. My mother passed away after a long battle with MS during 2001. Many years before she had written a letter of congratulations to me for an award from our local Board of Realtors, at the time it did not seem very special. I found the letter shortly after the conference and also found that it meant something. She was the person always to impress, so the letter is framed with a photo of us during her last Christmas.

2. Five years ago Christmas Day a tragic event struck the Newark Fire Department, an accident between two fire trucks injuring five firefighters, some seriously and others traumatized from the incident. I was able to step up to the plate and help the "guys" and officers. It met a lot to me, returning so much that has been given to me by the NFD. Shortly after the incident I received a thank you letter, it meant to me more than any I have ever received. It is framed in a cheap frame next to my mother's letter. Everyone goes home.

Kurt of Cultural Offering posted "The Letter" earlier this month, about letter writing and his plans to write more letters. I plan to do so this coming year as a resolution, I doubt any will be worthy of hanging on the wall for reading while one is dressing, but at least some one will have received a letter.

Happy New Year & Decade!