Talk about a serendipitous moment!!! I was looking for a letter that my father wrote me a long time ago so that I could add it to my “conversations.” Instead, I found a letter he wrote to my mom while stationed in Vietnam. I haven’t seen it in about 10 years or so at least. It’s dated November 9, 1968. When I saw what he wrote on top, I started to cry. He titled his letter, if you can believe it, “The Last Letter.” This name just happens to be the title of the last chapter of my creative work. Really??? How is that possible? I guess he and I really do think alike. But wait, it gets better. My father, in anticipation of returning home to my mother (in about 9 days) uses almost the exact language that I wrote “on his behalf” in ch 1 of my “book” when he tells me she has arrived safely back with her (in heaven????).
This is what I wrote:
| Ch 2: The Last Letter
October 7, 2033 Dear Laura, Mom made it here safely. We are taking care of each other. She sends her love to you and the kids. Thank you for keeping her safe. You did a good job. I’ll see you soon. Forever, Your Father |
In this letter I found to my mother, he writes:
| I guess this is good-bye until we are together again. Just remember to take good care of yourself for me and I’ll do the same for you. But soon now we’ll be able to take care of each other. I love you with all my heart and all I’ll think about is you until we are together again. Say some prayers for me.
All my love forever Your Husband It may be as little as 8 days now babe. We’ll be together again forever at last soon. |
Maybe I’m just feeling really emotional about all of this as I get closer to “the end,” but this had me thinking I am on the right track and doing what I was meant to do in some crazy way. The letter (see below) is a testament to their true love as well. Heartwarming! Maybe in 50 years my children will be looking back on my hubby’s fb posts and feeling the same way I feel now.
Quick post, but had to share!
Also, apparently my father curses a little more than I gave him credit for.
jack of All Trades 
This is so good and it is true– meaning that you really have channeled his voice. Plus, it’s so good to see his handwriting. Brilliant. So good.
I think I said so in seminar, this might work possibly as an appendix, or maybe at your end, circle back to it?
Also, as I keep thinking of things, take a look at the way people analyze the time weaving structure of David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” https://www.google.com/search?q=cloud+atlas+narrative+structure
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