A Lesson Remembered, A Card To Be Mailed

This morning I thought we could brainstorm reasons why we aren't writing notes to friends, letters to editors, essays, articles, anything personal. Here's my list. I'm still working on writing notes.

What if I say it wrong?
What if I am wrong?
What if I'm misunderstood?
What if I'm rejected?
What if . . .

Wait. I see a pattern here, so let me change hats from writer to self-editor. If I go back and cut out the repetitious "what if" and question marks, then I can see more clearly. Sometimes I say it wrong. On rare occasion, perhaps, possibly, maybe, I am wrong. I have been misunderstood. And yes, (sniff, sniff) I know the pain of rejection.

Well, how about that? No need to fear being human and part of the human race. Now, if I can change hats just one more time and move from self-editor to teacher, let's conjugate some verbs. Remember conjugation?

I will say it wrong.
You will say it wrong.
He will say it wrong.
We will say it wrong.
You will say it wrong.
They will say it wrong.

See the universality of our phobias? Let's do another one.

I will be wrong on occasion.
You will be wrong on occasion.
She will be wrong on occasion.
We will be wrong on occasion.
You will be wrong on occasion.
They will be wrong on occasion.

I will be, you will be, he will be, she will be, we will be, they will be misunderstood, rejected. So if you've been feeling all alone in your misery, welcome to my world.

So what is holding you back from actually putting pen to paper (or seat to computer chair) today and writing, then placing what you've written in envelope or hitting "send"? You don't have time, you say? Oh. We can talk about that another day. Right now I'm, ah, out the door.

But first, just a quick report: I did mail two cards yesterday. I agonized over one, still on the dashboard of my car. I have another card to write today (and three letters that are nagging). Now that I've remembered how to conjugate verbs, I'm encouraged. I'll go ahead and mail that sympathy card. If I said it wrong, then I'll have to trust the family receiving the card is good at reading between the lines and will understand I care. I am so sorry for their loss, I'm speechless -- or feel that way.

Hug someone. We all need love.