Today I write my last letter to you. I counted. You sent me twelve letters last year. They will always be a treasure. Your last letter to me was such an encouragement. Thank you so much for leaving me with such love wrapped up in your letters. I will miss them and I will really miss you. This year, 2022, marks forty years since we met. It was the fall of 1982 when I started my second grade eight year at Round Hill School. I still remember you greeting me and my parents that fall day. Your love was evident even back then by how much you cared.
It was an honour to get to know you and Doris over the years. You were the first person that Mom and I called the morning after Dad passed away. Because we knew you were awake early and knew you were the only one who was awake to take such a call. Thank you for being there for us.
2021 will always be the year I shared with you in our correspondence. You shared your heart and soul with me when you were missing so much. Today is my Mom's birthday. She is now 85.
I was told you were in the hospital, but didn't know yet of the outcome. On my way home, I went to the Round Hill ball park and sat in my truck and thought of the many times you were umping. I then went to the school and had a moment to remember meeting you forty years ago. You were already "beyond breath", so maybe you heard me saying "Thank you" to you. I didn't know, but I just wanted to be in those places... just in case today was the day... and it was. My only wish was to send you one more letter and thank you for being such an awesome friend to me over they years.
I love you and will miss you so much
Ruby Neumann
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I wrote this letter and coloured this card for Martin, the day after he died. I could have just kept it or ceremoniously burned it and let the ashes mingle with the molecules in the atmosphere and imagine his molecules mixing with my letter. I didn't... I mailed it. His daughter would have received the letter when she went to clean out his things. I wonder how strange that would have been for her. But I wasn't thinking about her possible discomfort, I was needing to thank my friend.
Martin was the principal at the school where I attended my second year of grade eight. He reemerged into my life when my parents retired close to the same community where Martin and that school lived. Last year when I started writing letters, I send a letter to Martin, and he wrote back. Martin was the only male pen pal I had. He was 92 when he passed away. Like I said in the letter, I have twelve letters from Martin. I hadn't seen him for years, but those letters brought us close once again.
Martin said something in one of his letters. "Don't ever stop writing". That encouraged me to find a way to honour Martin in the way that he had blessed me. So after an internet search, I found an organization called "Love for our Elders" that arranged for people to send hand written letters and cards to seniors who needed some love. Every month the website posted were first names and the mailing addresses of the family member that nominated them.
I wrote letters for six months, some months, every name posted got a letter. I enjoyed writing for a while, but it was hard to continue after the months went by and I would get no response. I was told to expect no replies, because the recipients would get so many letters. I had only hoped that maybe one or two would get a letter and want to write me back. I hope the six months was enough to honour Martin.
I will continue to write as Martin requested. Maybe it will still be in the form of letters or maybe just poetry and blog posts. I will write as long as my fingers can move over the keyboard of my laptop.
I never did hear back from his family. I hope my letter was a gift to Martin's children. I hope they know how much of a blessing and encouragement he was to me. That is what I wanted to communicate. in my most unconventional method. I just wanted to say "Thank you"
"Grief changes shape, but it never ends." — Keanu Reeves
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