Letters of Encouragement

Small actions or gestures have become increasingly important to me. I am far from home, far from my family and friends and am in need of encouragement once in a while to stay focused on the task at hand. With this in mind, I wrote myself a letter of encouragement and mailed it. There is something reassuringly tangible in sending and receiving mail. Though sending yourself a letter could seem a little sad, finding mail addressed to you in your mail slot triggers intrigue: someone is thinking of me. A handwritten letter says much more than the words contained within: the choice of paper, the penmanship, the ink, the envelope, the scent of the paper and the chosen stamp convey intimate details of the author and his/her intent. In a world of clinical e-mails, misspelled text messages and business-like memos, a handwritten letter almost seems like a beacon, or a diversion. I was surprisingly delighted to receive the unicorn envelope which I dropped at the Post Office a few days prior. Though I was aware of its content, the ritual itself was enough to make my day. With this in mind, I asked 10 people to write me a letter of encouragement. They accepted and upon receiving them, I realized how much a medium revealed about the author. Although the content was to encourage and to restore my confidence, it revealed much more. The object itself shed a personal light on the person behind the pen. The letter I received from Jean-Denis Boudreau was littered with confetti and I could picture him laughing at the mess. It was illegible due to his recent obsession in becoming ambidextrous. My grandmother’s soft pink letter had beautiful penmanship and smelled of lavender. My father's letter arrived by priority courier, undoubtedly mailed by his secretary (he is a busy man). Its contents included a picture of a painting I had made over a decade ago at a time when my parents could easily identify, grasp and appreciate the objects I made. I am uncertain if this gesture was a questioning reminder for me, or a nostalgic reminder for him. In any event, this year I am answering all the letters.