A Letter

Beloved,

Let me tell you something I often say when counseling those mourning the loss of a loved one.

“Unless you are a rabbi or minister, you shouldn’t be good at writing eulogies.”

And then I add: “Let me give you a pro tip—think about writing a letter. Because you know how to write a letter and this way you don’t have to stare at a blank page not knowing how to start.”

They usually grasp the idea instantly and are then able to start writing.

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I just did something similar in the writing of this article.

I didn’t know what to write today’s article about and found myself staring at a blank page.

Stuck.

So, to get myself started, I began by writing a letter.

And it worked!

I figured out what you are about to read below.

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Human spoken language is estimated to be tens of thousands of years old—likely over 100,000—while written language is only about 5,000 years old.

Written language is a game changer—enabling us literate humans to communicate thoughts to the future.

Which is amazing!

But what of it?

Depends on what we wish to communicate.

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Imagine you can write a note to future generations.

What would you want to convey?

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Me? Here is mine:

Beloved,

Lean into love.

See if you can love more today than yesterday.

Love yourself. Love others. Love more.

Stop rushing.

Slow down.

Be kind.

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What not-perfectly-polished message would you send?

(You might start it as a letter so you don’t stare at a blank page.)

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