A Nice Letter

 Yesterday in the mail, I received a handwritten letter from a person who claimed to be a neighbor.  Not really.  The letter writer isn't even in the same town.  So, "neighbor" is used loosely.  She begins by saying that she is sorry that she can't come visit me in person, so she is writing this letter.  Then the letter asks me if I believe that life is forever and would I like to have a better life.  The point of the questions and scripture references is that she is inviting me to an online Bible study organized by the Jehovah Witnesses.

I thought it was a nice letter.  She isn't asking me to come to their "hall."  She isn't asking to come into my home to discuss the Bible.  I am free to look into their web offerings.  

Although I like this approach better than the Jehovah Witnesses ringing my door bell and arguing with me, I don't think letter writing will bring more people into their religion.  I just threw the letter away which is much easier than looking another person in the eye and telling them I'm not interested.  

Time Is Finally On Our Side

One advantage of the self-quarantine people are asked to do during this COVID-19 pandemic is time to do what we never had the time before to do.  Of course, now that we have the time to do what we put off doing, we find out that that was just an excuse.  I'm still not doing it.

All kidding aside, time is on our side, now.  In Bishop Robert Baron's YouTube on the quarantine he talks about this.  He refers to Blaise Pascal's complaint that people don't have the ability to be alone--to be silent.  The good bishop waxes poetic about it.  His suggestions range from reading to praying.

But I would like to offer my own suggestion--write letters.  Since I can't be with my granddaughters, whom I used to see almost every day, I write to them.  But also, I am writing to old friends.  I'm sending Easter wishes to those who live alone.  Letter writing is a lost art.  I prefer to text or email.  But now I look for nice stationery or a "thinking of you card" and compose a few thoughts. I'm hoping people will appreciate my efforts.