Show It, Don’t Say It
I don’t always think things through. Sometimes I get ahead of myself. My passion can get in front of my conviction. When that happens, I usually get in trouble.
I had a blog going for a while where I’d write in a sort of stream-of-consciousness. That means I’d write and publish stuff and soon look back and think, “That probably wasn’t a great idea.”
My writing muse says when writing, my goal is to “show it, don’t say it.”
How the heck do I do that?
Like most things in life, my daughters and son-in-law are my magi, my guides. At Christmas, AGB led the way.
AGB moved to Boston for grad school over the summer. We’re doing our best to stay connected, but after being in the same town for a few years, I miss her like crazy.
For Christmas, AGB gave me a small chapbook. Inside were journal entries describing her days, her thoughts, her hopes, and her dreams. And because she’s an artist, on a few pages, she illustrated what she was writing about. It’s probably one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever received.
Because text and email are our modes of communication, a handwritten chapbook from AGB is something so much more meaningful to me. She gave me the gift of herself.
Handwriting a letter and sending it to a friend, regardless of the tone or topic of the letter, is both “showing it and saying it.”
Your handwritten note is a gift because you are a gift.
If you are unsure what to write, maybe one of the prompts below might give you an idea:
Share about the coolest gift you’ve ever given.
Tell a story about realizing, “That probably wasn’t a great idea.”
Ask a question like, “When you think about kinship, what comes to mind?
Affirm, advocate, and bless the one to whom you are writing. A couple of our favorite blessings are “Have I told you how much I enjoy your laugh? You have the best laugh.” “You are God’s greatest delight and joy.”
If you need some other ideas or want to talk it through, reach out. We’d love to connect.
