Today I am making a choice to challenge myself as a writer. I know, I write to you here on my blog, but I need to stretch my abilities, to gain some skill in other areas of conveying thought. To that end, I have decided to join up with thousands of others, HERE at The Daily Post.
It is not my intention to write every day, but through the week I may choose one or two prompts to stretch my brain and foster my creativity. How ironic then, that in choosing today to begin, the prompt should be one of a personal nature? Well, it is said to write about what you know, and so I begin.
Audience of One: Picture the one person in the world you really wish were reading your blog. Write her or him a letter.
~*~
Dear Aaron,
You often told me of this lovely place and asked me to come visit you here. Your descriptions of the countryside, and the joy in your voice told me it was special, yet I delayed my interest in visiting. I was afraid to let go of home. Afraid of going somewhere new. So I stayed.
Why did I wait till your memorial to come and see you? Only then to discover what a beautiful place this is… after you were gone? How many times did Bob tell me that he wanted to leave California, to get out and live somewhere less hectic, more rural, and I dug in my heals. Resisted. Shut my heart to the thought.
I finally made it here little brother, and you were right all along. It is a beautiful place to live. My only regret is that you are not here to enjoy it with me. I write about it often here on my pages. I share the loveliness with others, and only wish that you could read it, that I might share it with you too.
I miss you little brother,
Lynda
Life on the Farmlet 
Well, it seems that fate had it in for you. Lovely letter.
Thank you, Annie. You know, it has been five years since he died, but writing this this morning made me cry like it was just yesterday.
I lost my mother suddently in September and that was raw, but a sibling must hurt deeply. The are many moments for regrets but the good memories wrap us up warm.
Oh, Annie, I’m sorry!
Aaron died unexpectedly, and then almost exactly a year later Eric died from some mysterious cancer, so the raw part was that both were younger than me. Having the chance I made sure I got there to see Eric before he died. We had some good long talks and reminisced about our childhood… and, yes, the good memories do keep our hearts warm.
This is so beautiful and it felt so intimate to read it; it was so focused, but somehow also completely accessible . I love the prompt- I may try my hand at it as well…
Thank you, and please do! It will be good to know that in all the other thousands of writers out there, I have a friend amongst them. ~Lynda
Oh my dear Lynda, my heart bleeds – what a beautifully written letter… I am deeply honoured, that when you chose to write something so intensely personal, you would share it here with us. I can’t help but believe, where there is such deep emotion, that your brother hears every time you speak to him; with you in spirit, every step of the way.
With love, Deb
Thank you, Deb. I’ve never believed in spirits or visitations from the dead. However, I will share this with you…
When my sister and I came here for his memorial service we went to visit a cave he had told us about so many times. He was in awe of it and really wanted to take us there with him when or if we came to visit… neither of us did.
Walking through the massive place of beauty we were both struck with the feeling of closeness to him there. Some might say he was there with us, others not. It is my feeling that it was his passion for the place that we carried with us in our hearts, that brought on the feeling of intimacy we both felt while visiting there. Being in place that we knew he had been to regularly, that he loved so much, made us feel as if he was there, and it was a beautiful feeling. I have been back twice since and not had the same experience as that first time with my sister. ~Lynda
He wanted to share, and so he did.
I have one question for you: if “matter can neither be created nor destroyed” then where does the measured energy it go once it’s vanished off the EEG?
Back to its Creator.
We always think we have so much time to do everything, but we don’t do we?
No, and more’s the pity, Dou dou…
what a tender and beautiful letter to your brother! through it, you remind others not to wait to tell others how much you love them, or make an effort to meet them half way. it’s beautiful.
i am sure that was his spirit watching over you, comforting you before he moved on. he’s probably watching over you now and cheering from another realm!
z
Thank you, Lisa. I hadn’t actually thought of this in that way while I wrote it, but it is very true! We don’t want to put off till tomorrow to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us, pr getting by to see them… no matter how far away it is. Sometimes things happen in an instant that can snatch them away, and you’ve missed your chance.
i just published something in your honor. It should be in your box now! z
Going to read it right now, Lisa! 😀
Yup! 🙂
http://playamart.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/the-whiners/
That is beautiful
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it, Julie. It was one of the quickest posts I have ever written, but then, the words have been in my heart for a very long time now. I was good to get them out in the sunshine.
Beautifully written and sad. Brought a few tears knowing how we all tend to put off visiting those we love. Hugs to you, Lynda
Lindy, it was sad, but I am glad I finally got here. Thank you for your kind words.
This is an absolutely beautiful letter, Linda. What a loving tribute to your brother…
Thank so much, Dianne. He was such a sweetheart.
Great idea! I hope to see you spread your wings often
Thank you, Tom, I am excited about this journey!
Your experience in the cave doesn’t suprise me at all. I think there are particular times and places where the veil between the living and the dead “thins” a little, and that feeling of closeness results. I’ve always thought that St. Paul had that same kind of experience – I don’t think his musings about seeing in a mirror dimly were purely philosophical or theological!
It’s such a lovely letter. I always envy those who’ve had the experience of brothers and sisters. When you’re six, being an only child’s ok. When you’re sixty, it would be nice to have a history with someone. Obviously, your history with your brothers was good. Not perfect, perhaps, but very good.
Linda, it was good, not all the time, we were kids after all, but we did have some great adventures! Now it is just me and my sister. She’s still in California, but she calls often and we talk a lot! More now than when we lived closer, actually! 😉
Lovely piece of writing Lynda.
Sorry to hear that you lost a sibling so young though.
He was only 49, and it really was a shock for us. Thank you, Victoria.
This is a brilliant piece of writing, they say the best work is true work.. this is why this has such power.. c
I have really enjoyed this first exercise and I’m looking forward to working on more of them over time. I really want to polish my writing skill. Your comments are so encouraging, Celi, thank you!
PS: Funnily enough, I am over at your blog reading when you posted this. 😉
SNAP! cyber ships! c
Good Morning! 🙂
Lynda, That is beautiful. I know you miss him very much but always keep him in your heart and remember the good times. There is no way to go back, we have to look to God and keep all our memories of our families and do not let the world get all of us down. Charles
Thank you, Charles!
Beautiful post Lynda. I’m so sorry about the loss of your brother. I think this challenge is a great idea, and you wrote such lovely prose this first time. I’m proud of you for “trying something new”. I wish I had the courage to do so… and the energy. Most days I’m just too tired to think!
Thanks, Lori! Actually, I understand about being too tired to think, but this week has been awesome for writing, and I have no idea why. So, I have just been going for it while its there for the taking! 😀
So beautiful.
Thank you!
What a wonderful writing prompt. You spoke from the heart and it is apparent from the comments. I am getting back into my blog, not consciously I took a couple weeks off.
Having siblings is special, though there are times we drift apart. Time is short and I suppose we should remember to come back together.
Thank you for your comment, Janet! I do agree that making time to get together with your siblings is important. It is a tragedy when we don’t and the unthinkable happens. So have you made plans to see yours for Christmas this year? New Years? Just because? 🙂
Hi Lynda, I have no plans right now to see either brother or sister…..saw brother this past June at my daughter’s wedding. Sister chose not to come. 😦 We live in SC, bro lives in St. Louis burbs, sis lives in KS, wedding was in VA. Just makes me say hmmmmmm
I’m sorry. That is a tough one. 😦
Yes, not a good one — sorry to vent a little. Oh those family dynamics.
It’s OK, anytime. 🙂
Beautiful and sad. Lovely writing. So sorry your brother is not there with you.
It was hard to accept because he was so young and because it was so sudden, but time heals.
Thank you for visiting today,
Lynda