Words of Affirmation
This weekend I was standing in line at Wal-Mart, which turned into about a twenty minute wait. Something about the lack of a tag on a bag the lady two people in front of me wanted to buy took forever. I know -- you're trying to figure out what level of Dante's Inferno that belongs in. I'm not sure either. Anyway, while I was standing there, I picked up one of the little, impulse-buy publications near the register and cracked it open.
The page fell right to this article about the woman who started a movement (and website) called The World Needs More Love Letters. You need to check it out; it's not what you think. One day the woman was riding the subway when she noticed another woman who looked like she was having a really bad day. On impulse, she got some paper and a pen out of her purse and started to write the woman an anonymous letter. In the letter she encouraged the woman and told her how special she was to the world. After she'd written it, she felt so much lighter and more inspired.
So it became a thing. People all over are writing anonymous love letters to strangers. We're not talking about mushy, romantic love. These letters are messages of pure affirmation and inspiration. The website www.moreloveletters.com includes all the "do's and don't's" of anonymous love letter writing. Plus there are pictures and testimonials of people who have found letters all over the world. You can see the letters people have written. Reading them will lift your spirits and inspire you; it did it for me.
Personally, I'm crazy for the idea. I don't know if you've heard of The Five Love Languages, but my chief one is "Words of Affirmation."
If you're wondering what the other four love languages are, watch this sweet music video.
As you might already know, I'm crazy about words. I also love affirming and being affirmed. My dear friend Angie and I spend the last five minutes of our conversations just affirming each other, every time we talk. Whenever I hang up the phone after one of our conversations, I'm always grinning. I keep the notes of love and appreciation my husband writes for me sometimes in my wallet. If I'm feeling down, I'll pull them out and read them again to remind me that I'm loved. That's what words of affirmation are for me.
I don't really believe in accidents. I don't think it was a coincidence that I picked up that magazine and opened right up to the article about The World Needs More Love Letters.
Last night I wrote my first anonymous letter of affirmation to a stranger. I have no idea who will end up with it, and that isn't the point. While I was writing it, a quote from the old movie Chariots of Fire came to mind. Eric Liddell says, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." That's how I feel when I'm writing, especially when I'm using writing as a way to love others or glorify God. That's how I felt when I penned that little note last night. I could feel God's pleasure -- that he was using me to bless someone I don't even know. I believe that he'll make sure the note I wrote ends up in the hands of the person that needs it most.
Needless to say, I will definitely be writing more anonymous love letters. I might even make it a habit. You might not feel like you were "born to affirm" like me, but you can write at least one because let's face it the world really does need more love letters.
Here's Hannah Brencher. She'll tell you the rest of the story.
The page fell right to this article about the woman who started a movement (and website) called The World Needs More Love Letters. You need to check it out; it's not what you think. One day the woman was riding the subway when she noticed another woman who looked like she was having a really bad day. On impulse, she got some paper and a pen out of her purse and started to write the woman an anonymous letter. In the letter she encouraged the woman and told her how special she was to the world. After she'd written it, she felt so much lighter and more inspired.
So it became a thing. People all over are writing anonymous love letters to strangers. We're not talking about mushy, romantic love. These letters are messages of pure affirmation and inspiration. The website www.moreloveletters.com includes all the "do's and don't's" of anonymous love letter writing. Plus there are pictures and testimonials of people who have found letters all over the world. You can see the letters people have written. Reading them will lift your spirits and inspire you; it did it for me.
Personally, I'm crazy for the idea. I don't know if you've heard of The Five Love Languages, but my chief one is "Words of Affirmation."
If you're wondering what the other four love languages are, watch this sweet music video.
As you might already know, I'm crazy about words. I also love affirming and being affirmed. My dear friend Angie and I spend the last five minutes of our conversations just affirming each other, every time we talk. Whenever I hang up the phone after one of our conversations, I'm always grinning. I keep the notes of love and appreciation my husband writes for me sometimes in my wallet. If I'm feeling down, I'll pull them out and read them again to remind me that I'm loved. That's what words of affirmation are for me.
I don't really believe in accidents. I don't think it was a coincidence that I picked up that magazine and opened right up to the article about The World Needs More Love Letters.
Last night I wrote my first anonymous letter of affirmation to a stranger. I have no idea who will end up with it, and that isn't the point. While I was writing it, a quote from the old movie Chariots of Fire came to mind. Eric Liddell says, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." That's how I feel when I'm writing, especially when I'm using writing as a way to love others or glorify God. That's how I felt when I penned that little note last night. I could feel God's pleasure -- that he was using me to bless someone I don't even know. I believe that he'll make sure the note I wrote ends up in the hands of the person that needs it most.
Needless to say, I will definitely be writing more anonymous love letters. I might even make it a habit. You might not feel like you were "born to affirm" like me, but you can write at least one because let's face it the world really does need more love letters.
Here's Hannah Brencher. She'll tell you the rest of the story.
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