Love Them With Written Words

Life is fragile, they say. Yes, it is fragile, like a Cone Flower. Once full of vigor and beauty, after a frost the ground is littered with the soft remains of petals. The tall stem bends and bows low. Life is the same. In Joshua 13:1 we read,

 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years…

Joshua knew he was old, and then God reminded him of that truth! We all know that with age comes infirmities. Some are debilitating. Some rob people of the ability to move, while other illnesses rob people of the ability to think clearly or to speak. We don’t know how our lives will play out, and while none of us wish to be “Old and stricken,” we just don’t know what the Lord will allow in our lives, nor how our lives will end.

As I’ve watched my own dad slip away from us over the last year, it has been painful. One blessing remains though, and that is the memory of conversations I’ve had with him; words he spoke into my life even in recent months, when his mind was keen, his heart was full, and his eyes brimmed with tears as he spoke.

“I’m proud of you girls and the lives you live.”
“You’re a good speaker; you do a good job!”
“I love you.”
“I sure appreciate all you’re doing to help us.”

How I treasure those conversations. I’ve written them in my journal for the days when I might forget the exact wording, or need to remember what he said to me on those days when our hearts and our eyes connected.

This year I read a book about aging and the author strongly encouraged her readers to write letters to their children, expressing exactly what they mean to them. She suggested telling them of their love and why they were loved. It took me a long time to finally sit down and do it, but I painted cards for my girls, then got out a pen and wrote them each a letter, detailing my love for them. I did it because I don’t know the future. My life could end abruptly. I could lose my ability to speak or think or write. Or their lives could end “early” and I would regret that I didn’t tell them how blessed I was to be their mom.

I had a sweet time recalling memories of my girls as I wrote. I sat in long spans of silence while I reflected. I smiled. I cried. I’m glad I wrote those letters. They will never have to wonder how much I loved them. I shouldn’t have waited so long.

This week of Thanksgiving, I’m going to challenge you to not only give thanks, but also to give words. Don’t just speak them. Write them. Write a letter or card telling your close family just what they mean to you. Leave out any negative memories. Just include what you want them to remember after you’re gone. It will be a treasure to them, unlike any earthly possession.

Get out your pen and paper and refresh your love for your family with written words.