Letters of Love: A Weekly Correspondence to Brighten Your Day

Between 1969 and 1974, a psychiatrist and a statistician randomly assigned 843 patients who had planned on exiting the planet. He applied them to two groups. In one group, the contact group, the people received periodic handwritten letters from healthcare professionals who had earlier interviewed them and the letters can express concern, how are you, I desire to stay in contact, you know I’ve been thinking of you kind of stuff. And then the other group, so they got 8 letters a year and then they got 4 letters a year over the next 4 years. So in total they got about 24 letters over 5 years. The patients in the other group didn’t get any letters. Two years after leaving the hospital and the span of time when the patients are most likely to end their lives, only 1.8% of patients in the contact group had actually gone through with their plan compared to 3.5% of the people in the control group who hadn’t gone through it. So it’s really important that people stay in contact. It’s really evident that that connection made a difference. So I think what I’m planning on doing is reading you a letter every day. And for anyone who doesn’t have those kind of struggles or those dark thoughts, you can just scroll on. But for those who would like to hear a little letter, I’m going to read it to you every day. Just one a day, just a little moment and just remember that people do care. So, hello my friend. I have decided I will write you a weekly letter, mainly because you don’t know how often I think about you. I was thinking about you today actually and wondering how you are, like really how you are. You cross my mind more than you realize. Sometimes I wonder how’s your day going? Are you getting enough sleep? Did you speak to you know-who about that thing that we talked about? How are you getting on today? Anything worrying you? I’ve been well. I’ve worked from home this week which is nice and I’ve potted and I’ve cleaned and cooked, spending time with my son and husband. Yeah, I’ve just kind of been soaking it up. We had a beautiful breakfast the other day and we were by the sea and there was like a breeze that carried the scent of salt with it and the incense smell of coffee welcomed us. It was just so beautiful. Those little moments of freedom from worry are kernels of sheer contentment, aren’t they? I knew you’d understand. It is, I’ve realized, important that we recognize them when they come so we can try and bottle them for when they pass this way again. A funny story, I did find a tape of my children talking when they were six and eleven. God, they were bliss and hilarious and it made me want to cry for how quickly our kids grow. Did I realize it? Maybe I did. I must have if I had recorded them. I did laugh with them a lot on the tape and I complimented them a lot, reminding them how clever and capable they are. I’m glad I did that. Otherwise, I have a stack of books on my bedside table which I need to read and a lovely Boston fern which is growing so well. I’ll send you a picture of it. I do recommend a plant in your bedroom. It does things to the air, sciency things, I’m not sure. Anyway, I’ll write again tomorrow. You are loved. Bye.