This was a writing day.
I wrote seven letters, including one to a friend I have not heard from in many years. I saw a mutual friend recently and have been thinking about her ever since and decided to write to her. The last time I saw her she took me to dinner and during dinner said "I just wanted you to know that the years when we were friends, we really were friends." I didn't realize I would never see or hear from her again. She's one of those people who just drop me and I haven't a clue why. I've sent Christmas and birthday letters but have not heard from her in about 10 years or more. But I wrote to her. I know I won't hear back...I'm not even sure I have her current address, but I just felt the need to communicate.
I also sent three postcards and I wrote the four letters I write every Sunday, to four people receiving Meals on Wheels who have nobody to write to them. This is through Letters Against Isolation. They send out lists of groups that have people in rest homes, community centers, or at home receiving Meals on Wheels, who are needing letters and I send four letters a week. This is such a cool organization, started by a couple of high school kids who had grandparents in homes and saw how many old people have no contact with anybody. In their FAQ they write,
We realized that without visitors or the ability to interact with the wider world, many senior citizens may be growing lonely. Senior loneliness is a well-documented issue and has effects not only on seniors’ mental health but on their physical health. We believed that we could do something to help this situation. We decided to spread some joy and write handwritten letters to residents of assisted living facilities and care homes. When growing demand for letters outpaced us, we started Letters Against Isolation. Letters Against Isolation has since expanded to serve thousands of seniors in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Israel.
They now have thousands of people who write, many of whom are young people. Some are so involved that they have put a limit of 200 letters per week per person. I only write four, but I do write four.
My son, Tom, has severe Autism and this past year has been extremely challenging as he's not been interested in anything. Today (in the middle of the night), he put together 12 of these ice cream cards. We're so excited to send them out! Letters Against Isolation gives my son an opportunity to do something positive for someone else and that means the world to us.
Just amazing what these two high school students started and how it has taken over the world.
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