I Write My Letter This Month: Fill & Download for Free

The first time i was contemplating suicide, i was at my cousins apartment for a bbq. I was going to kill myself later that night, had everything planned. Thats why i went to my cousins. Just to spend a little time with her and her daughter. I was on the steps watching my 2nd cousin running around and playing with her friends. She mustve only been about 7 maybe a little older or younger and she sat next to me. She restted her head on my shoulder then said “please dont die. I love you so much” then she gave me a hug and kiss then ran off. I dont know why she said that. I never EVER said anything like that to her. But she knew…and hearing those words saved me once. All the other plans, well i had my husband help me through my last suicide thoughts. He walked in on me writing my letter a few years ago when our son was 11 months old. I was going to jump off the rocky cliff when we were on holiday. I forgot to lock the chalet door and my husband found me writing my letter, read it, riooed it up, called my mother in law (we were with his family) and asked if she could watch our son for a bit. He took me for a walk on the beach and just listened and held me close that night.

My father spent a few years in prison for federal firearms charges. He was in his mid-70’s when incarcerated.Over those years I found that it didn’t really matter what I wrote to him — he was just so thrilled to get a letter from me, it could have been un-illustrated Dr. Seuss poems and he would have loved it.As recommended in the excellent answer by Jim Christmas, there’s no point in self recriminations or reminding the inmate of where they are.They have very limited lives, so living vicariously is one of the best ‘escapes’ you can offer. Long, newsy letters about the minutiae of your daily life will be gleefully read, re-read, and shared with pride.Every time my father called me after receiving one of my letters — which were, I’m ashamed to admit, far too few and far between — he would come to tears on the phone, trying to explain how much it meant that I had taken the time to write and post a letter to him.Your hastily-scrawled note can be the only bright spot in a day that is boring at best, violent at worst.Don’t hesitate or try to find the perfect words; just tell your dad how you’re doing, what’s going on in your life, and that you’re thinking of him.Eventually my father asked me to send him photos of myself and I was concerned, not knowing why he wanted them. I sent him a couple of recent, candid headshots figuring nothing too awful could come of it.Several months later, I received the most beautiful hand-drawn portraits based on those photographs. These are some of my most prized possessions.Nothing is free in prison. My dad says he paid $100 per drawing. It may have been significantly more or less than that, but was most likely paid in barter of some sort.My point is…I don’t know your relationship with your father at all.I can only encourage you to reach out to him as much as you are able. To treat him as a human being and not a caged animal.To be wary and take care of yourself, and also to open your heart as far as you can and still be true to yourself.All my best to you and your family.

I once REFUSED to write a letter, and then got a “thank you” note for it.I had an HS student, “Beatrice,” in three classes, drama, English, and video production. She was failing all three. She was, however, brilliant, talented, and beautiful, with a voice like a nightingale who could reproduce accents like a master thespian.Or, so she was willing to tell anyone in a two mile radius any time she walked into a room. I had no evidence of this, as she maintained an absolute zero average in my classrooms. Her classmates could not have rolled their eyes any harder at her.I had consulted with her mother, who was convinced that young Beatrice was just moments away from getting “discovered.” Even in drama class, which was—ostensibly—her area of focus, she hadn’t done a single assignment. I could not claim that this young woman could read, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she couldn’t.It was a surprise when her mother stated that I WOULD be writing a letter of recommendation for an exclusive private school for the performing arts. I replied that I could not in good faith do so. Mom was steamed, but didn’t take it any further.Three months later, I got an official thank you note from the fancy drama school for my letter. This was a surprise! I went down to the guidance office, and with the counselor, called the school. Seems they’d received a letter from me, on school stationery, with a very glowing recommendation of Beatrice. We confirmed that the letter had not been sent by me and that we’d send a new transcript, as the one they’d received had also been forged. The caller suggested that they wanted to follow up, as Beatrice had obviously not reached the “glowing levels” they’d read about in my letter.I’ve no idea what happened to her after that.ADDENDUM: I was intrigued by the post below that suggested it would have been better “to leave well enough alone.”What?My name means something—or it should. I’m not going to recommend a thespian under my tutelage if they are not adequate to meet the basic level of that recommendation. I might need to use my name again, later, for another student. I only want it attached to worthwhile recommendations.ADDENDUM 2: What’s with all the pedantic grammar responses? If you’ve got honest grammar suggestions, there are polite ways of helping posters with their posts.If all you’ve got to respond to in the comments is grammar naziism, don’t bother. There are more productive ways to spend your time. From now on, grammar comments will be deleted, (and possibly blocked.)ADDENDUM 3: Someone in a private message (really!) pointed out that it IS possible to write recommendations for students who are less-than-stellar.Absolutely. I have done this. It’s very possible to compliment a student on a performance, or a sense of humor, or astounding effort, etc. It’s probably VERY transparent to the reader, who knows you’re saying “hey, this kid’s not the best STUDENT, but they’re worth a gamble in your program because of ___________.” It’s even possible to write excellent letters for students you DISLIKE, which I’ve also attempted!The case I’ve related here is not a matter of “like” or “dislike.” I had no point at which I could create a compliment for this student. There was no work, no grade, no project, no activity, no practice, no personal story—there was nothing to relate to the inquiry for me.I’d love to see what the forgery looked like. The idea has always intrigued me.Thanks for reading!