Writing for a Cause

Good morning everyone!

I’m not really one of those people who is always talking about charities or donating money, etc, because a lot of people (like me) don’t have the extra money to donate to those things, and they shouldn’t be made to feel bad about it. But today I would like to tell you about a cause close to my heart.

A few months ago, I was reading my mom’s copy of Reader’s Digest, and I came across a story that really touched me. It was about a young woman who decided to start writing letters to strangers she saw on the subway or in the grocery store, or other such places, who looked like they needed a pick-me-up. She calls them “love letters.” She started by just leaving letters in random places, hoping that the right person (in this case, a person who needed encouragement or inspiration, or even just a kind word to turn their day around) would come along and find them and be better for it. But eventually, this one-woman letter writing campaign grew into a global project. Now, thanks to her, people from all over the world are writing letters and leaving them around for people to find. Or, perhaps more importantly, people can send in requests for people who could really use a letter to give them strength and support, like these listed here: http://www.moreloveletters.com/the-letter-requests/

Although she calls them love letters, they are not romantic. They are more of an expression of familial love for our fellow members of the human race who might need a little reassurance that they are not alone, and that someone out there, maybe even a stranger someone, cares about them.

I have written a few letters myself, and have found it not only very fulfilling, but also very therapeutic. The woman who started it all, Hannah, recommends that you not just write a letter about the other person, but also that you put a lot of yourself into it. It is more sincere that way, and it helps you to work through your own things while simultaneously bringing up someone else. And a lot of times, that very act of making someone else feel better through this process of relating to them and being kind, can end up bringing YOU up too, and making you feel better yourself.

So, whether you are a writer by nature, or would just like to spread some affection around, take a look at http://www.moreloveletters.com/ It doesn’t take much to brighten someone’s day, just a few minutes of writing and a postage stamp. And the whole thing is anonymous, so you don’t have to worry about a big time commitment. You can write to as many or as few people as you’d like, and you don’t even have to sign your name, or include your return address.

As the website declares, the world needs more love letters. So why not give it a shot?

Let me know if you try it! You can leave me a message in the comments, or send me an email at Jessica@jessicascottauthor.com.