6 years ago, I came across a mysterious letter at the spa. Signed by “Westmoreland,†it wasn’t addressed to anyone, yet intended to be found by someone that day. That person happened to be me.â£
At the time, going to the spa was the only time I could be “alone.” By the time I was 26, I had already gotten married, then divorced, settled into a different country, and made more money than I had ever imagined. I had everything I thought I wanted, yet something was still missing. As it turns out, I was chasing for the wrong things. â£
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When I stumbled upon Westmoreland’s letter, I held onto it for dear life. Her words have served as a gentle reminder to make space for the things that truly make us happy. Though it sounds cliché, we’ve become conditioned and influenced by the narratives of others that we’ve forgotten our own way home, to who we are, our story, our dreams. There is a difference between being alive and living; breathing to survive or breathing to thrive, working hard for somebody else’s dream or working for you. What’s your dream? What is the world in need of right now? â£
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God comes in many forms and connects us in so many ways. Though I’ve never tried to search for Westmoreland— in honor of this letter, I recently shared this exercise in one of my W&M classes and now it is here with you. Each of us wrote a letter, then picked it out of a bag. I believe that sharing our stories helps us heal, and when we can heal ourselves, our words can heal the world.â£
A Letter To A Stranger
Write a love letter to a stranger. Think about something that has helped you in the past year, and what you have learned. In this letter offer the same kind of love, compassion and encouragement, as you would for yourself. Sign and date.â£