We are living through days of extreme challenge, extreme sadness and a horrible death toll. Rules for living have changed right before our eyes. There is more a need than ever for the human race to pull together to defeat this virus that has assaulted us with such brutality and speed. And, pull together it has in ways both huge and modest. People are risking their own lives to take care of others. Neighbors are looking after one another. Generosity is unrestrained. People everywhere are giving so much of themselves without thought of reward.
People are showing love and appreciation as best they can while living in isolation. We see news clips of Italians singing their gratitude from balconies, people on the street 6 feet apart one from the next applauding and cheering for others, people rushing to youtube to share what they have learned about surviving.
We now have to invite people into our lives without having them in our homes. With the further sadness at a funeral without being there to comfort each other, we need to find ways of offering condolences without embracing the bereaved. We need to thank. We need to celebrate births, graduations, marriages. We need to bring old friends back into our lives. We need to keep romance alive. We need to say “I love you” in a way that will outlast this scourge.
Yes, we can do all this and more from a good safe distance through letters. There are always good reasons for writing love letters, but today, when we are faced with new troubles, these letters may be more critical to your emotional health than ever and definitely more critical to the emotional health of the people who get that envelope full of love.
Because I have, alas, had to cancel the wonderful guests who were going to share their lives, I am taking the next few episodes of Love Letters Live to talk about why love letters right now and what they will accomplish. Well, the same thing they always accomplish, really, but as we have time in isolation, we can spend more of it bathing in the positive of what others have brought to our lives. And, that alone will help ease the sorrow of isolation and the fear that grips us all too easily. I hope you will give a listen and maybe pick up some helpful tips and thenbe encouraged to sit right down and write someone a letter. For the joy it will bring to you and to someone else.
From me to you,
Janet Gallin
