When I was about 16 years old, many, many years ago, the day before we left our beloved home country for one further south, I spent the last evening with my best friend. We chatted and reminisced about our childhood days and wondered about the future. Then, when my friend went to refill our hot chocolate mugs, I picked up a scrap of paper and wrote a letter ... to myself.
I wrote how I felt, where I was, who I was with and what I hoped for, for the future. I then tucked it in my bag, the next day we emigrated. I left behind friends and family, left behind a boyfriend and pets. It was hard, I think harder on me now than it was then when the invincibility of youth carried me through. I had that letter with me for many years until once again I changed countries as well as hemispheres and with moves and time, the letter disappeared.
Fast forward a few years, I am now married, sharing a mortgage and Christmas decorations to take down.
As I was packing away the baubles and bells, I remembered my letter to myself and sat down and wrote another. It was a short note, listing what we were doing, what the cats were up to, where we lived and what I hoped for in the coming new year. I tucked the note in a box and hid it to the Christmas decorations box.
As the years passed, I wrote more letters and added cards made by the boys and special cards from special folk.
I have (minus one or two) twenty letters to myself... twenty years of tidying away decorations, twenty years of thoughts and fears, twenty years of stories.
Plans for jobs found and jobs lost, moves, emigration, immigration and scraping enough money to buy a home.
Fears for the future, thoughts on the past and what is happening now, each year, as I write.
Each one has a mention of the weather - the snow, the rain, the stifling heat. Each one always says what Himself is doing - washing up, pottering around, walking the baby/riding bikes with the boys, packing away the tree.
I found myself reading them all - I never done that before .... I felt the hope and optimism, the worry and concerns, the pride and delight in the words that I wrote to myself.
And it made me realise that I need to get on with my 'grand plan' that I must not hesitate any longer. If I get anything from these letters from me, I get new strength, greater determination and a belief in 'm*y*s*e*l*f.
In me.
Watch this space!
#art #hawthorn
Lovely idea but what a tear jerker to read them all again.
ReplyDeleteI have a bundle of letters that Tom and me wrote to each other when we first got married and he was working away, they seem so naive now but am passing them on to my Grandson.
Briony
x
That was a very moving post. Made me realise again how decisions of parents affect the lives of their children. I too remember leaving family, pets and friends behind. xx By the way, I love your little Jenny Wren. xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing to do. Made me think I wished I had done something like that year ago.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year
Julie xxxxxxxx
Most years I write a Christmas letter to friends but I never thought to keep a copy for myself... what interesting reading it must have been. If it were possible I'd put my hand in and grab that Jenny Wren coaster.... you are so clever! x
ReplyDeleteWow, priceless . . .
ReplyDeleteI used to write letters to myself at important points in my life, it was a good (and most cathartic) way of getting my thoughts and ideas straight. A few years ago I had to clear out a deceased person's home and was immensely sad (and slightly embarrassed) to find similar writing. As a result I decided to cremate my old letters and built a ceremonial pyre in the woodburner.
I don't regret disposing of them because they were (possibly) far more personal than yours but it does make me think of the fragility of our keepsakes. Before yours are tucked away for another year may I suggest you scan/photograph them and keep a copy somewhere safe on your computer. That way an archive will remain for the future, something that your boys (and future grandchildren?) may well cherish.
What a wonderful idea and what memories to cherish throughout the year's. What you have gained from them is priceless. X
ReplyDelete