The Letter Writing Project began as a tribute to my sister on the day that the world was remembering her and has morphed into an activity to say the things that you need to say before it is too late. Since its inception I wrote letters to friends, children, husbands, teachers, cousins, neighbors and anyone I could think of. Some I mailed and some are still sitting in my “to be tossed” pile.

The Letter Writing Project helped me to peel back the layers and figure out what is important in my life. I have found out through letter writing what I love and what I don’t love. Some letters I will never have any addresses for and yet I still wrote the letter. With most of my letters I eliminated the possibility that if tragedy should strike again in my life and I will never again be left with my thoughts festering inside of me. My sister died with me a bit out of touch with her. I can never take that back.

That helpless feeling of regret will always loom over me regarding my sister, but The Letter Writing Project has prevented that from ever happening again. The letters in this book are professions of love, apologies, retribution, anger, grief, remorse, joy, fulfillment, gratitude, spirituality and hatred. They have created a space for me to further clarify exactly who I am in this world. What an enormous gift.