I know what it is to be far from home.
I also know what it is to receive a letter in the mail, and I appreciate the time spent to write a letter and then send that letter. No matter whom it’s from, I’m excited. It has my name on it, and it was written for me. Instant happiness.
There are so many ways in the world to encourage, but did you know that you can volunteer to adopt a deployed soldier and write letters to him or her weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly? It’s definitely a commitment, but depending on your life circumstances, it just might be the perfect way to reach out and give a little back.
You may not agree with the government, but these are people. If you violently disagree with the deployment of soldiers, then maybe this one isn’t for you. But if you just want to make someone’s day brighter, then this is an easy way to do it.
So if you’re in, you can check out AdoptaPlatoon or Adopt A US Soldier. Both offer a pen-pal option, but you can go above that by signing up to send monthly care packages, too.
Once you’ve been assigned your soldier, it’s time to write a letter.
The art of letter writing has begun to intimidate my peers, and I’m not sure why that is. But I am a word nerd. I mean, this website is a hobby. Obviously, I like words.
Anyway, write a letter. My rule of thumb is to write an engaging letter that has space for a life update, silly real-life stories, and maybe a portion for asking questions. But sometimes that will dry up too.
Be Newsy Like Your Grandmother
Have you ever received a letter from your grandma with newspaper clippings? You can do that, too. Grab an old magazine and cut out weird pictures, funny stories, favorite quotes. Fill up the envelope with random fun.
Answer Hypothetical Questions
If I ran away from home, I would…
If I could be any animal, I would choose _______ because…
If I were a ray of sunshine, I would illuminate…
Make Up a Story
This can be a fail or a win, but hopefully no matter what it will be hilarious. Look around the room that you’re sitting in, and choose two objects to create a story about. You may want to warn your letter recipient that you’re about to work on your story telling skills.
Dream Weave
Do you have odd dreams? Either for life or from your sleeping hours? Why not share them?
Parcel Party: What to Write to Your Pen Pal When You Get Stumped
Share Trends
Have you noticed a weird trend creeping up? Is it a new song to dance to (Watch Me Whip)? Or are kids using a new phrase in everyday speech? Eventually the internet will broadcast the trend, but you might be able to let your letter recipient know about it before it’s internet-live.
Remember Your Life Is Interesting
A lot of my friends compare their lives with mine, explaining why they haven’t written, “Well, my life is not adventurous like yours.” I argue back that their lives are interesting to me because I’m not living it. Write about what’s interesting you in your life right now, and it won’t be boring to your reader because they’ll be excited by what’s distracting your waking thoughts.
Open Up Your Thoughts
What are you thinking about? What’s frustrating you or thrilling you or saddening you? Why not start there?
Do you support a soldier by writing letters? Would you want to? What’s the hardest part about writing a letter for you?
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