Dear Reader...

Dear Reader...

It's been a while since I have not touched this... Do you think that it's becoming a habit? Even I doubt that at times. The last time I wrote something, I was extremely sad and was in dire need of someone... This time it's not sadness but an overwhelming feeling...

Before I move to what I really intend to write, I have some silly confessions to make. Last time when I was being hard on myself for not writing anything, one of my friends came up and told me to be proud that I finally wrote something. It is still something that keeps me moving and I still have that in my heart dude.  Today seeing these letters on this white paper (screen, yeah I know) I feel elated, in bliss... ecstatic... I really don't know what I actually feel...  

I'll stop the blabbering and come to the point. Shouldn't we start with a question as usual?

So here it is... Do you write letters? Do you love reading letters? 

Yes, or No, whatever popped into your mind has a whole lot to do with all the unraveling that is yet to happen from a lover of letters. Yes, that's me. Someone who loves letters... Someone who loves to see words pouring out into a paper (or emotions flowing out from person to person). Words do have some long-lasting impacts on our lives. 

I know that you might be wondering about why all this pouring out. 

LETTERS...

                 that is the answer. I have a collection of them and was going through some of them... The ones that I received for my birthdays, the ones I received from my kids (students indeed, they are so close to me that I can find no other word for them), the ones that I received from my loved ones... The list goes on and on and on...

Even though there are umpteen reasons to write a letter, many of the people don't do that. I always admire people who find time to write something... I even admire people who send essays through WhatsApp chats... Leave essays, even a single word can calm us down sometimes. 

How many of you have received a letter when you were at your worst and the words suddenly lit you up?

 

   This write-up began with the intention of covering a whole lot of letters that touched my heart. But... while going through all the letters, I came across this "set of letters"... not handwritten ones but typed ones, emails to be precise... the emails that lighted me up 3 years back, that reminded me of my dreams, that validated my strengths, that persuaded me to do more, to work hard, and to be more confident. 

    So maybe an anecdote is what you want here. Long back...(should we start with a "once upon a time"😝), not that long though. But yeah.. it seemed to be so long ago and covid split people apart. That is when some of my friends started preparing for UGC NET. It was very hard for some of us as things were going upside down... Family, exams, projects, viva... a whole lot of things were happening around us. But two of us decided to write letters ...It began by sharing pdfs then it turned out to be a more supportive one. I found letters that had just a few words like "You can", "don't give up" "We need this" "All is well" or "Hold on  a little bit more, we are there." These words were something that made me tackle a very tiresome day. It was never easy... But the letters consoled us each other. I remember sometimes writing long notes of the little things that made me smile. The small walks we made(which were luxuries during COVID). 

But yeah we made it through...

Today when I look back at those letters, when I look at the words, my replies.. I realized how desperately I needed them. Those words were not mere words, they were a lot more. They were the light that led me forward... 

But again looking back at them we have come so far ...we have crossed the first step towards our dreams... But we have a lot more to do... and sometimes I long for a letter that holds just one or few words, that surely light up a very boring day.  

Every single person should in some part of their life have someone who writes them long notes about all the silly things that make them unique and beautiful. they should have someone to write a single word of appreciation... a single word to console... a single word with the warmth of a hug... a single word that says a thousand things and makes you feel that you are never alone.

to my best friend - I  miss our letters...

to my kids- I read your notes on and on...

to the many people who write letters- you truly are beautiful...

PS: This has been lying asleep in my draft for more than 3 months now. Thanks for the anxiety attack that came in at the right moment without which I would never be able to wade through my writer's block.