Ever hear of the old-fashioned tradition of pen pals?  My mother had one as a girl  in Minnesota in the early 1930s.  She wrote to her England friend through the depression, during World War II as she worked a job as a book-keeper that later requried SIX men to replace her (she received one-third of ONE man’s salary) and up until her 82nd year  . . . when she passed away.  Seventy years of friendship through hand-written letters, Christmas gifts, and even one tape recording of our family’s voices.

Today I treasure a hand-written letter in the mail from a friend or relative.  When was the last time you received one?  Wrote one?   It takes more thought and time than a dashed off e-mail and a push of the send button. 

Writing prompts:  1.  Write a note to a friend telling her/him of an experience you remember you’ve done together.  What was enjoyable about it?  Fun, funny, sad, memorable? 

2.  Write a letter to someone who hurt you recently. You don’t need to send it.  Say what’s in your heart.  Don’t speak of revenge and hate, but of the hurt in your soul.   Let it “sit” for several days and then revisit it.  Perhaps it can be used to mend your feelings or the relationship. 

3.  Write a letter from that person to YOU.  What would they say to you?

4.  Write a dialogue in the perfect world between the two of you.

5.  Write a letter to a character in a novel you have read.  What would you like to say to this person?

6.  Write a letter from one character in a novel of one book to another character in another book.  (Thanks to the College High School teacher’s student’s great idea!)