Going through the mail- junk, ads, bills, real estate listings.
And a hand written letter.
The script was old-school; elegant, neat, small. Definitely written by a woman. The return address wasn't anyone I knew. Maybe it was that ploy where a charity calls up your neighbor, asking them to send fifteen letters to friends, family and neighbors to solicit for them (By the way, don't ask me to do that, it's YOUR job; I have to live with my neighbors). As soon as I pulled out the letter, I realized it was a personal missive which included a religious newsletter.
I'm not going to prosletise. And I'm not going to be converted. What struck me is that this woman took the time to write a thoughtful, sincere letter. There was no condemnation of any beliefs, or lack, that I may have. There were no criticisms of any other religions, saying they were misguided or evil. I couldn't find a single reference to moral decay.
All I read was a message of comfort if I'd ever lost a loved one. On a personal note, I lost my grandmother, Estelle, days later. While I found this woman's words kind, I didn't feel any less grieved.
But that's not the point. While most people would have been annoyed, even angry, I felt... I don't know the exact word. This woman took so much of her time to write a personal letter to a stranger, wanting only to share her belief of how to live a better life. While I may not agree with everything or even most of what she wrote, I commend her for living her beliefs without being antagonistic, arrogant or degrading.
We should all take a lesson from Katherine.
