Miles Apart Series: Ana's Handwritten Letters to Charlie

Bringing back the excitement of handwritten letters to stay connected.

Miles Apart Series: Ana's Handwritten Letters to Charlie

I’ve always had a way with words, or at least, that’s what Charlie tells me. Not the loud, showy kind, but the quiet kind that invites pause and reflection. Yet, there are words I’ve never found a way to say to him. And maybe, just maybe, letter writing will be the way they can eventually come out.

For four years, we shared something that went beyond friendship, though we never gave it a label. Our connection felt deeper, but we had an understanding that my child is priority. When the time came where I had to leave the state, it was for my child.

Moving away felt like I was leaving more than just my hometown behind. There was something else, something unspoken and heavy between us. Though we never addressed it, I believe Charlie felt it too.

Of all the moves and people I’ve had to leave behind in my life, this one feels like shredding an important page right out of my favorite book. Like an unfinished story that is just hanging in the air.

But even miles apart, Charlie’s with me in spirit and in text. As supportive and patient as he’s always been. He’s my lifeline, his words are the thread I hold onto when everything else feels like it’s slipping away.

His texts often come with questions that feel more like little pieces of him reaching out ‘What was it like for you as a child? Why do you hum that old song when you’re tired? What’s the story behind your favorite dish?’ It seems he wants to know the parts of me he didn’t have a chance to before.

All those miles between me and home, safety, my best friend, Kate, my family, and from Charlie is reminding me of a song. Every Rose Has Its Thorn by the ’80s band Poison, with its haunting line, “Miles apart inside.”

In 1989, I left behind a high school friend. We had known each other for years, and he might have been a good match for me. But I chose to head out West. Funny how life has a way of bringing things full circle, isn't it?!

I didn’t have the answers to Charlie’s questions right away. Life felt too heavy at the moment to focus on myself. I’m usually the one asking the questions, not the other way around. Besides, my life wasn’t the kind you’d find in a fairy tale. But his questions stayed with me, lingering in the corners of my mind.

Recently, while unpacking, I found a box of letters my grandparents had written each other in the late ’30s and early ’40s. Their words were a time capsule of love and rich historical times of how things were back then. I also rediscovered letters my mom wrote to me in the late ’80s.

There’s just something about all those handwritten letters. The ink smudges, the weight of the paper, the way they seemed to hold time in their folds.

Bringing Back the Excitement of Handwritten Letters

That’s when it hit me. In a world where communication is instant but fleeting, maybe it’s time to bring back handwritten letters. The kind you wait for with anticipation and excitement. The kind you look forward to receiving and want to save to refer back to in times of loneliness. The kind that outlast hacked emails and forgotten passwords.

Besides, Charlie deserves more than a quick text or email. This strong connection between us is deeper than that. It deserves something special, something private, real, and worth anticipating. Something only a letter can hold. Maybe this is where my heart can open a bit more and I can express all the things I didn’t think I could say in person.

So, I grabbed my favorite pen, knowing this isn’t just about writing. It’s a bridge, a lifeline, and maybe even a new kind of story waiting to unfold. Something that might finally make sense of all the things I couldn’t say before. Maybe this time, this friendship will be the kind that lasts.

Little by little, I pour pieces of myself onto paper that feel like conversations over coffee. Snapshots of my daily life, moments of heartbreak and joy, childhood memories, the bittersweet lessons that I’m learning as a single mom, and the way a song or a meal can bring on an array of emotions. Each letter holding a slice of my perspectives, adjusting to life in a new state and a small, unfamiliar town where I don’t know anyone.

And now, Charlie and I have decided to share some of them with you. Hoping they bring you the warmth of a long-lasting friendship, and the anticipation of what’s to come from miles apart.

Xo, Ana

When was the last time you wrote or received a handwritten letter from someone you truly care about?

P.S. You can find all these letters under Stories.

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