Pen Pals

Pen Pals

Walk with the wise and become wise.

Everyone needs an Aunt Claire. My favorite memory of her is of a middle-aged woman roaring like a sea monster as she emerged from the lake with a pile of seaweed on her head and arms stretched high—before bursting into gales of pure-joy laughter.

In retrospect, I cannot help but smile at her audacity, but as an insecure middle schooler, I was one part horrified at the thought of wearing seaweed as a wig and one part awed. In my aunt I recognized the kind of woman I hoped to be someday: a woman so secure in her identity that she is unafraid of looking foolish in the name of fun.

Life races by, and as I draw nearer to my own middle age, I continue to want to be the kind of woman my Aunt Claire exemplifies. She is a woman of deep and abiding faith, having lived through hard seasons and deep tragedy without losing her hold on Jesus, always sharing him freely with those around her.

She and I became pen pals this past year. In a time of text messages and Instagram, my aunt is decidedly old school and off-line, and I initially struggled with how to go about an off-line, long-distance relationship. Writing a letter is harder than dashing off a quick text and a photo. Stamps misplace themselves, and my handwriting looks ugly and uneven as I pour out stories across the pages. But Aunt Claire has been all grace and forgiveness over my stops and starts, my delays, and my clumsy attempts at the new-to-me art of letter writing. She tells me stories of the faith warriors in our family and entrusted me with a letter and photo of a great-aunt who prayed faith into our bloodlines. Aunt Claire writes of her faith journey and encourages me in my own faith. She provides perspective and wisdom as a holder of my family’s lore, and I look forward with anticipation to her letters in my mailbox.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Take time to consider relationships that might require a different type of time investment from you. Do not overlook the joy of deep friendship with aunts, uncles, or other extended family members.