One Year Of Letters

"And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." ~the Beatles

I just got finished watching the Olympic opening ceremony, and Let It Be is on my mind, for a number of reasons, but I think it makes a nice start to this entry.

Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of My Year of Letters. I didn't succeed in sending a letter a
day, as I'd originally intended - but I do believe I sent more than 365 letters and postcards (as many days I sent more than 1), though I stopped counting after a while because it was taking away from the fun. I set out this year to write daily letters as a practice of mindfulness, kindness, and love, and a ways of reconnecting with friends and family. While I didn't reach my daily goal, letter writing has certainly become a practice for me, even more so than before I started this project. I am more centered and connected when I write my letters, and I do it with greater intention. I reconnected with old friends, even made some new ones, and (I think) brightened a few days. And in terms of sending love, I sent many letters, but I got back so much more - not necessarily in quantity, but definitely in love and in gratitude for the letters that I sent. 


I'm reminded of the song from Rent:
Five hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-nine thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In terms of letters, mine is a TOMS shoe box:

Though my year of letters is ending, my letters will continue.I will also keep this blog going for the occasional post about stationery, letter writing, pen pals and the like.Thanks for reading!

(and if you didn't get a letter yet, just send me your address or let me know you want one :)

Peace Postcards

I had the good fortune to stumble into a fantastic used bookshop in my new neighborhood this evening after dinner. Bluestocking Books has a fanTAStic selection, including Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States featured prominently in the window for the 4th of July (it might be the next book I walk out with - tonight I walked out with Ram Dass' Be Here Now). I think I will be saying goodbye to Amazon.com for the foreseeable future!

But Bluestocking Books doesn't just have books - they have an amazing postcard selection, including a number of peace postcards! Here are a few of my favorites:

 And this one is particularly apt for the upcoming 4th of July holiday:

I'm planning to send my first one, Peace On Earth, to Russia via postcrossing, but the rest are up for grabs - if you'd like a postcard let me know! :-)

Peace On Us

I got this great peace stationery from my friend Rachel who sent it from Australia. The perfect stationery for sending some peace and love around the world!

Postcards from the Border

Hey, I'm back!

It's been a while since I've posted on here - been slacking a bit on my letters, plus we moved, which took up a lot of time and energy.

Let me know if you want our new address!

I also traveled to Tijuana this month, and will go back again next week for some peace education workshops with 80 teachers, in conjunction with Teachers Without Borders, the Organization of American States, and the Baja California Department of Education.

To commemorate the trip, I took the opportunity to use Moo.com's great postcard function. I used one of my favorite photos of the border graffiti. Let me know if you want one! :-)

Sealing Wax and Other Fancy Stuff

World Market sent me a $10 happy birthday coupon to use in its store, and I got a sealing wax kit!

The wax is like a little crayon, and then it comes with a stamp with three different faces - hearts (pictured), stars, and a fleur de lis. It adds a whole new dimension to my letter writing experience!

And it definitely requires mindfulness and concentration. There is actually some technique involved in sealing an envelope with wax. You need to get the wax in the right spot, you need the right amount of wax. Then you need to stir the wax to get the bubbles out (you stir with the crayon stick), and finally you have to wait until just the right time to press the seal.

I've tried it twice so far and both turned out OK. The first one I erred on the side of waiting too long, and the impression wasn't very deep. Just now I tried it but didn't check to see the direction of the hearts before I pressed - doh!

But it still looks nice :-)

(there is no "other fancy stuff" as the title implies...I just wanted to quote Puff the Magic Dragon :)

I've been slacking on this blog, and it's been a whole month since my last post. And to be honest, I did not keep up with my letter-a-day goal this month. This month has been a little tricky. I'm struggling with un(der)employment right now, and some days are harder than others. On the harder days, I find it hard to write a letter. Writing a letter takes a certain amount of energy - any quality communication does - and when I write a letter I want to be sending love, not negativity. Thus on days when I've been feeling less-than-inspired, I haven't been writing, and I think this is OK.

At the same time, I realize that focusing to write a letter could be just what I need to pull me out of the negativity, so this month I think I'll try that. It might be helpful, and I'll let you know how it goes!

Also, we are probably moving at the end of the month. Our lease ends in April, so we are looking for new abodes. Check in with me later for our new address!

Make Tea, Not War

I found this postcard in my local stationery shop. I love it :-) I'm sending the first one through the Postcrossing project, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to go back to get more to send to everyone I know!

This also connects beautifully to my newest project, PeaceMeal - Cultivating Peace Through Food. Please check it out!

A Certified Mail Treat

Today I woke up feeling a little uninspired. We've had the good fortune of a rainy day here in sunny San Diego, but the cloudy skies and cool air have me feeling less-than-productive.

Yesterday, I wasn't home when the mail arrived, and when I got back there was a note on the door that I had some certified, insured mail that needed to be picked up at the post office. I wasn't sure what it might be, and whether it was something to be excited about or not, so I didn't think much of it.

This morning, I went to pick it up - and was delighted by what was inside!

It was copies of the book "People Building Peace 2.0," in which my story, "Peace Education Without Borders," was published. I entered the story in the Peace Portal Stories for Peace Challenge last year, and it was selected as one of 25 winners. As a winner, you get your story published in the book, and you also get 10 free copies of the book! What a nice treat.

I love blogging, but there is something really exciting about seeing your words in such a tangible form. I think I am going to have to pursue more opportunities like this.

And that gave me my much-needed inspiration for today!

Valentine's Day

My husband and I are of the mentality that "every day is Valentine's Day". We're not a fan of the commercialism, and we like to do nice little things for each other randomly and express love for each other on a regular basis. However, he still took the opportunity to still buy me a beautiful bouquet of tulips for our new tulip holder from the Netherlands (thanks Alistair! thanks Lieke! :)

And maybe thinking it's just another day has its limits. In regards to this "it's just another day" mentality, a friend commented on Facebook today, "Of all the posts in my news feed today, at least 90% are about how it's just another day. It seems like the Anti-Valentine people are the bandwagon jumpers to me. Who cares if someone decides to show extra affection to someone else today? I can think of worse things people do." (Thanks Jason! :)  Right on! So, Valentine Haters, jump on board, and take some advice from MC Yogi: give love!

I am usually not a fan of "greeting card holidays", (similarly, for me, "everyday is a letter writing day!" :) but my mom bought me some fantastic Valentine's Day stationery this year from Papyrus (what you can't see in the photo is the deliciously soft velveteen texture of the card) so I went with it, and have been sending these out over the past few weeks. I'd also like to share the insert in the Papyrus cards, explaining the chosen symbol of the hummingbird:


"Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. Hummingbirds open our eyes to the wonder of the world and inspire us to open our heats to loved ones and friends. Like a hummingbird, we aspire to hover and savor each moment as it passes, embrace all that life has to offer and to celebrate the joy of everyday. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation."


Beautifully connected to both My Year of Letters and Valentine's Day!

Photo credit: James Knox Photography - my amazingly talented cousin, who took this photo at La Costa Resort when we had our wedding celebration there in November. Thanks James! :)

Finally, I just want to share my favorite quote about love, from the great sage and poet Rumi:

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” 

This resonates with my belief that we are love, we are peace at our deepest, truest essence, and our task, as Rumi says is not to look for love outside of ourselves, but rather to look inside and figure out how we are blocking the love within us from shining through.

And on that note, break down the barriers and get down to MC Yogi! :-)

Chain of Gratitude

Today I would like to share my friend Nathaniel Dunigan's blog on "The Power of the HAND-written Word," which as you know I am a strong believer in! In his blog, Nathaniel talks about how in Uganda, the way of replying to "thank you" involves thanking the person for appreciating, creating a "thank you chain."

I have some cards that compliment this chain of gratitude idea. They are called Karma Cards (I'm pretty sure I've blogged about them here before), and they are from New Leaf Paper, a sustainable printing company that makes fabulous stationery. The card has a simple yet elegant design and says "Gracias". The card's seam is perforated, and on the reverse of "Gracias" it's a postcard - so the recipient can actually reuse the card and send it to someone else! I thought this was a great idea both in terms of sustainability and for the sake of carrying on the chain of gratitude.

Like Nathaniel, I keep a stack of these cards on-hand so that at anytime I can pick one up and express gratitude the handwritten way.

I recently read an article about a man, John Kralik, who did a project similar to My Year of Letters, but he focused on sending one handwritten thank you note everyday. He subsequently wrote a book called "A Simple Act of Gratitude," a memoir on how this practice was transformative for him. I haven't read the book yet, but I like the idea.

What are you thankful for today? Consider sending a thank you note! :-)

28-day Meditation Challenge

What are you doing for the month of February? Why not take part in Sharon Salzberg's 28-day meditation challenge? Today is only Day 2, so you can begin anew right where you are! If you're interested in joining, please visit here for more info:

http://www.sharonsalzberg.com/realhappiness/blog

Real Happiness is a great meditation resource, both for those who are new to meditation and for seasoned practitioners. The beautiful thing about meditation is that it's best to always approach it with a beginner's mind, so whether you've been practicing for 10 days or 10 years, what Sharon has to offer can support your practice. She has an incredible way of making meditation accessible.

For me, writing letters is an extension of my meditation practice. It is a way to further cultivate the skills that I try to hone while sitting and apply them in my daily life. And on that note, I think I have some letters to write! :-)

My Ode to 100 Yen Stationery

Oh, how I long for the days where I could go into a hundred yen shop and buy riduculous stationery to my heart's content!

When I lived in Japan, one of my pasttimes was shopping in the 100 yen stores - where everything really is 100 yen ($1), AND it's practical stuff (NOT like dollar stores here in the US where most of it is garbage). And you could find some real treasures in their in terms of their comedic value.

My all-time favorite 100-yen purchase was a mug, the first mug I bought in Japan. Sadly, the mug shattered a few months ago, but I did manage to write down the poetry before I threw the pieces away. It read:

I hope to fly! (caterpiller)

Everyday
the sky is and wants me
when I can fly! (birds)

Look at our beautiful legs
All our acts look like dancing (flamingos)

Jump!
Jump!!
Jump!!!
If I flew more and more high,
If I were free to swim in the blue sky,
Through this blue sea!! (Dolphins and whales)

Let’s walk more slowly today.
I can walk faster, but I feel like doing (armadillo).

What a pretty flower!
Oh….Something has a break on my nose.
My nose tickles. (Dog)

This is my lvely place!
My friends, little bard,
be coming soon.
(Deer and birds)

I was sad my favorite mug broke, but the words live on.

Hundred yen stationery was equally delightful, and in a similar, nonsensical vein. I've talked about 100 yen stationery in previous posts, but I needed to write about it again today, because I found some in a local shop and it brought back memories.

This particular set says "Look! Isn't that dog cute? Is it a dachshund? It looks like our dog but much longer." Now, this actually makes more sense than most 100 yen stationery. One of my favorites was called "Cool bone guy". It had skulls and crosses on it, and it said:

"I am cool bone guy. Girls are gutlessnesses in such me."

Gutlessnesses. Gutlessnesses?! One can imagine what he was going for, that Cool Bone Guy....

The 100 yen stationery at my local shop sold for a whopping $4.80. I still bought it. It also made me realize that I should start a 100 yen stationery importing business.

The other fantastic thing about 100 yen stationery is that it comes in a set with matching envelopes and stickers, making the letter writing process that much more enjoyable!

This is my ode to the 100 yen stationery!

2011 Year of Letters Review: Reflections So Far

At the end of 2011, I did a big, self-reflective year in review process, largely based on the suggestions of Chris Guillebeau of the Art of Nonconformity blog. I thought about 2011, what went well and what didn't, and what I'd like to make happen in 2012.

I thought I would do a similar, though shorter, process for My Year of Letters in 2011.

I started MYOL in July 2011. Since then, I've sent an average of more than one letter per day, although I didn't realize my goal of actually sending a letter a day (ie, I might send 7 letters in a week, but I might have sent 2 in one day). This happened a few times when I traveled, lost track of time, etc. In 2012 I'd like to stay on track with the practice of writing a handwritten note everyday regardless of circumstances. However, life happens, so all I can do is try my best!

I had started out keeping track of how many letters I sent and where I sent them too. However, over time I found this to be a bit tedious - not having time to update the lists in addition to actually writing letters. On one hand, I really wish I knew exactly how many letters I've sent so far! On the other hand, I don't think it really matters.

MYOL started out with me sending letters to almost everyone who's address I have. I also started sharing these blog posts on Facebook, and through that, received more addresses. This, combined with having wedding party invitations, thank you notes for the gifts we received, and holiday cards, took up the bulk of the year. When I started the project, I thought at some point I'd have to start sending random letters to people I might not know - famous people, politicians, etc. That hasn't really happened yet (I did write a few letters to Congressional representatives), although I would still like it to. I'll set a goal for 2012 to include more "random" letters in my writing.

Through my initial round of letters and Facebook posts, I developed a few lovely pen pal relationships from friends from various phases of life. That has definitely been the most rewarding part of the YOL. As I've mentioned in previous posts, letters are special - you have a different kind of conversation than if you were sitting over coffee or talking on the phone. It's also given me a chance to reconnect - one of the initial goals of the project. I treasure my correspondence with these friends. In 2012 I will continue to nurture these relationships.

I've received so many letters! This is a pure bonus of the project. Right now they are all in a shoe box, and I rotate the ones that I display on my bedside table, kitchen counter or bookcase. I want to get a nice, special box to put my letters in - just looking for the right container.

I also got involved with Postcrossing, which has been a really fun little project. However, I do rely on Postcrossing if it's the end of the day and I'm not feeling inspired to write a longer, more involved letter. Good or bad? Not sure. But I do know that I've really enjoyed participating in the project, have a really nice postcard collection, and have some new friends from all over the world :-)

In short, it was a good start to MYOL. Now I'm about half-way through the year, and my intention is to keep it up - in fact, my overall intention is to keep it up for the rest of my life, but let's take it one day at a time :-)

My letter to 2011

For today’s blog, I write a letter to 2011 – since it has no physical address, I’ll share my letter with you here :)

“No mud, no lotus.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Dear 2011,

You were the best of times, you were the worst of times. You were a rollercoaster year more than any other in recent memory. Personally and globally, you were tumultuous, full of challenges as well as much celebration and joy, and much to be grateful for.

I can’t say I’m sorry to see you go. The last few months you really dealt me some blows, and all I can really say is that I got through them. I am getting through them. And certainly, the blows could always be bigger. They could always be harder. But I didn’t receive anything I couldn’t handle.

The highlights of 2011 were really the most simple things, and perhaps you reminded me that this is what life is really about – being reunited with my husband after long months of separation, being able to celebrate our marriage with loved ones, receiving many visitors to our new home in San Diego. After living abroad for many years, 2011 was full or reconnection with friends and family – both in physical time and space, and also through this project (My Year of Letters). I cherish these moments and hope that 2012 brings many more.

In the challenges, you reminded me that everything changes – that nothing is stable, nothing is to be taken for granted, and that anything can be taken away in a moment. I lost my job, and we were frighteningly close to losing my dad. You reminded me of the everchanging fragility of life, of impermanence. Through these challenges, you reminded me to surrender, to accept what is. I will try to remember this as I move into 2012.

I read a quote recently, something like “Life doesn’t get easier, we just get stronger.” Looking back, if some of the things that happened this year had happened 5 years ago, I don’t know how well I would have handled them. But I feel like I have the tools to deal with what is happening now – and to not just deal with it, but to make something great come out of it. Remembering that everything ultimately happens for our upliftment.

One of the other highlights of 2011 was having the opportunity to study with the great spiritual teacher and peacemaker Thich Naht Hanh. Thay says, “no mud, no lotus,” meaning that without the darker, challenging aspects of life, we would not be able to have the beauty and the joy. This year was definitely a muddy year, but I see a lotus blooming for 2012. If 2011 was year of mud, let 2012 be the year of the lotus. 2011 has definitely provided much fodder for 2012 to bloom.

Thank you, 2011, for all of the challenges and joy that you brought, for the opportunities for growth, and for the opportunities to really challenge myself to be a better person. I dedicate 2012 to being the best person I can be, and for all of my actions to contribute to a more peaceful world.

With love,
Stephanie

Practicing Mindfulness with Holiday Cards

'Tis the season to send holiday greeting cards - and this is a great opportunity to practice mindfulness! Writing holiday cards can be a marathon, and can be a source of joy or annoyance, depending on how we approach it. In today's blog I'd like to talk about how we can practice mindfulness as we write holiday cards.

First, check the intention and sentiment behind the cards. Do you find yourself dreading them, or excited about sending them? If you're dreading it, then maybe it's best not to send them. There's no point in sending happy holiday greetings if it's going to make you miserable! Remember your intention, which may have to do with reconnecting with loved ones and wishing them well. Come back to this intention if you find yourself becoming bored, distracted or rushed.

Once you get started, are you feeling like a robot, or are you present in the moment as you write your cards? As I was writing mine, I noticed this was a tremendously powerful way to practice mindfulness. When I write one letter, it's pretty easy to stay mindful. When you're sitting down to write 10 or 20 cards with similar things written inside, it's easy to become a robot. Rather than becoming a Christmas card machine, though, you can use this opportunity to practice mindfulness with each card. There's no need to rush through it. Take a deep breath as you begin each card. Feel the pen connect to the paper. Notice your handwriting. Take your time. If you find yourself becoming a robot, take a deep breath and remember your intention.

Most likely you are writing things about peace, joy, health, prosperity - all positive qualities that we try to nurture through a mindfulness practice. As you write these words, try to feel the words - feel love, feel peace, feel joy. Try to imagine the people who you are sending the card to, and imagine sending these feelings to them. This is much like the meditation practice of metta, or lovingkindness, which is one of my favorite practices (You can read about metta meditation here: http://info.med.yale.edu/psych/3s/metta.html; I also recommend checking out the work of Sharon Salzberg, who wrote a book called Lovingkindness, and she has a new book coming out in the new year called Real Happiness; http://www.sharonsalzberg.com).

If you write your cards in this manner, something that otherwise could be a chore becomes very enjoyable. And such is the practice of mindfulness - when we do everything this way, everything becomes interesting, and we are better able to experience our lives with joy, peace and equanimity. We can use this practice throughout the holiday season: while wrapping presents, while cooking food, while sitting in holiday traffic, while doing last-minute gift shopping.

On that note, I wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with good food, much laughter, and precious time with loved ones. May you find peace, joy, love, happiness and health in the new year - and in this moment, right here, right now :-)

Mailing My Hair

Today I sent an unusual letter - a padded envelope filled with my hair! I sent it to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign, which collects donated hair to make wigs for women with cancer.

I donated my hair for the first time in June 2010, (12 inches!) and that time I sent it to Locks of Love. They said that they would send a written confirmation that they received my hair, but they didn't, so this time I decided to go with the Pantene campaign.

(You can see the photos of today's cut on my facebook profile here).

I had been wanting to donate again, and decided that the end of the year was the perfect time to do it. It resonates with the spirit of giving that permeates the holiday season, and also connects with my desire to reinvent myself in the new year and let go of anything that's dragging me down or not serving me. Not that my hair was doing that, necessarily - but I do feel a LOT lighter after the cut!

To make the cut, you need the ponytail to be at least 8 inches - mine was about 9. The stylist Andrea did a great job of turning my cut into a nice short bob. She did a great job - and it was the first time she cut my hair!

I went straight from the salon (Charmed on Cedros, Solana Beach) to the post office. I stood in a long line, lots of people sending packages for the holidays - I bet I was the only one mailing an envelope full of hair! :-) It makes for an interesting "My Year of Letters" post - mailing a letter to Pantene with my hair (there was actually a letter too - I had to include my mailing address in order to receive a written confirmation that they received it. I also wrote "Here's my hair - I hope it makes a nice wig!").

I realize that the donation is a very small contribution - it takes about 6 ponytails to make one wig - but it's at least something I can do for a worthy cause. And something that is personally satisfying - I got a nice new cut out of it, which I wouldn't have done if I hadn't had the inspiration from the campaign.

If you have long hair, I recommend giving it a try - it's liberating!

My Prison Pen Pal

One of my regular pen pals is in prison.

Prior to my year of letters, I had started a pen pal friendship with a prisoner. The friendship is facilitated through a meditation program that I participate in called the Winter Feast for the Soul. The program matches meditation practitioners with inmates in the hopes of fostering spiritual mentorship and connection.

Herman* lives in Texas. I don't know why he's in prison. What I do know is that he doesn't have any family, as his parents are dead, and he feels very much alone in this world. He writes about the conditions in the prison, which sound abysmal. He spends a lot of time in solitary confinement, does not have many opportunities for exercise, and has to purchase basic necessities like toothpaste, although he doesn't have any money to make these purchases. He always sends warm wishes to me and my husband.

Our exchange is usually short, but I think we are both getting a lot out of it. We've both made a new friend. I'm learning about the conditions in prison, which seem worse than I'd imagined. Herman knows that someone out there is thinking of him, and I think that might be helpful to him. I hope it makes him feel less alone. I also share some things from yoga and meditation - I told him I am a yoga teacher, and he expressed interest in learning. I'm very much a proponent of using yoga anywhere, and especially in a place like prison where people are in a constant state of stress. Even if he's in his cell, he can do some yoga poses or even just sit and focus on his breath.

If you're interested in participating in a prisoner pen pal program, you can try the Winter Feast for the Soul program.

*his name has been changed to protect his privacy.

Gracias + Hope

It's been a while since I've blogged so I just wanted to give a little update on My Year of Letters!

November was a crazy month on many levels. My dad was recovering from his neck injury, I lost my full-time job, and we had a celebration to celebrate our marriage and were graced with the presence of 75 friends and family. We also celebrated Thanksgiving with 14 loved ones. Thus it was a challenging but beautiful month, and I'm excited for the month of December and all the possibilities that it brings (including healing for my dad, whose neck brace could come off in less than 2 weeks if all goes well!; possibilities to do peace education in ways I hadn't yet considered; more time with loved ones).

The letter project has been coming along - as November was a bit crazy, I didn't write everyday, necessarily, but have still been averaging at least 7 letters a week. I now also have a shoe box full of responses, of beautiful notes from around the world (some of which are decorating our apartment!). I treasure these precious gifts of friends' time and energy, and the friendships that have been rekindled as a result of this project.

My letter writing project for December has me focusing on two things: Thank You cards and Holiday Cards! I'm excited for both. I've been writing thank you notes for the many gifts we received for our celebration, which were so beautiful and thoughtful. I have a great Karma (reusable) "Gracias" card that I've been using (see photo).

I also love sending holiday cards. The one featured in the photo is the "Hope" card. I bought them about a month ago, which seemed a bit early to be thinking of Christmas, but I couldn't resist as they seemed like just the cards I wanted to be sending! I also have a "Live Peace on Earth" card from the Peace Alliance, the proceeds of which go to the organization, and a Trader Joes card, which is just funny because we love shopping at Trader Joe's :-)

The themes of Gracias and Hope seem very appropriate for this month. In November I celebrated a month of gratitude of posting something each day that I'm thankful for. I continue to be thankful that my dad's accident wasn't worse and that he is healing well, and I'm so thankful for all the people who came to visit us last month. I'm thankful for the opportunities that my job afforded me and the work I've been able to do, which I'll hopefully be able to do in a new capacity (again, with the hope!). I'm continually thankful for the wonderful family and friends I have, and especially the most supportive and loving husband I could dream of and our beautiful, funny, loving dog.

And I hold a lot of hope for December and the new year. Hope for new beginnings, hope for possibilities that I cannot yet imagine.

Here's to gracias and hope as we start this new month!

Postcrossing

I can't remember if I've mentioned postcrossing in a previous post, but just in case I didn't, I'll mention it today!

Postcrossing is a web site that connects people around the world through post cards. You "send a postcard and receive a postcard back from a random person somewhere in the world." Lieke, my friend from the Netherlands, mentioned this to me so I thought I'd try it out. When you want to send a postcard (you can have 5 postcards "traveling" at any given time) you request an address from the system. Then once your postcard is received, your address is put into the system and will come up the next time someone else requests. So far, I've received postcards from a woman in Japan, a woman in Siberia, and a 10-year old boy from Brazil. I've sent post cards to the Netherlands, Belarus, China, Germany, Brazil and Russia.

In addition to providing the address, postcrossing will send you some information on the recipient (which they provide on their profile), so you can know what kind of postcards they like (it seems that a lot of people are collectors) and also what kind of stuff they'd like you to write about.

Postcrossing has been a fun way to supplement my year of letters!

October

"Almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

--Steve Jobs

October has been a crazy month. I've still been keeping up with my letters (over 100!), but have been having a harder time keeping up with the blog.

One of the things I love about writing the letters is that I never quite know what's going to come out - and it often has to do with whatever is happening at that time. This week, though, I stuck to writing letters that weren't necessarily related to what was going on, because I was not ready to write about it.

My dad came very close to dying last weekend. We had slept over the night before, and were out walking Rocky in the morning. As we approached the driveway on our way home, we found him sitting on the curb, which was odd. "Hey Grandpa!" we said as we approached (Rocky is his granddog :), and he said "We had an accident." It turned out that his bicycle brakes had failed at the top of their steep, long driveway, and he'd lost control at the end and literally flown like a missile head-first into a brick wall, probably at a speed of over 30 miles per hour. Miraculously, he could get up, and nothing appeared to be broken. He went back home (in the car), took a shower, and my mom drove him to the hospital.

Turns out, he broke his neck - he had fractured two cervical vertebrae, C1 & C2, which as far as vertebrae go, are pretty dangerous ones to brake. So not only was it a miracle that he was alive, but it was even more of a miracle that he could walk and still had full movement! He must have hit that wall at "the perfect angle".

He spent 4 days in the hospital as they monitored and stabilized him. He's in a neck brace now, one that he'll have to wear for 8-12 weeks. He needs to take it easy, but he's back home and walking around the house. All things considered, he's feeling pretty good, and we're all feeling extremely, tremendously lucky.

This weekend my brother came home and we're all hanging out together as a family, which is very nice.

I have a computer program called Stillness Buddy that is based on Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. It greets you everyday when you turn on the computer and gives you mindfulness pauses throughout the day. Often, when I turn it on, it says, "You are alive! Today is a new day. What a precious gift!" I feel like at times like these, we are reminded of this, but as my dad said, about a week later we forget again. I want to commit myself to trying to remember. It's like that quote that Steve Jobs said he read that really impacted his life - I can't find the exact quote, but it's something along the lines of live everyday like it's your last. Remember that everyday is a precious gift.

Steve Jobs left us with the beautiful words at the top of this page. So maybe today, ask yourself that question today: what is truly important? How can I follow my heart? Figure it out and go and do that. For me, today, that means doing yoga and hanging out with my family.

Life is short. Follow your heart and connect with someone you love today!

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