There is a line in Proverbs that belongs on the wall of every soda fountain.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.Proverbs 25:25
Think about what a letter meant when that was written. Someone you loved was far away, the road was long, and you might not hear anything for months. Then a messenger walked in. You could feel it, the writer says, the way you feel cold water go down on a hot day.
Who is far away from you?
We have more ways to reach each other than anyone in history, and many people still go days without hearing a kind word. Far away does not always mean miles. It can mean the friend you have not called since the funeral. The grown child you do not know how to talk to. The person who moved away, or the one who just stopped coming around.
How to write a note that helps
- Be specific. “I still think about what you said to me” is worth more than “thinking of you.”
- Keep it short. Four sentences is fine. A long letter is a gift, but a short one actually gets sent.
- Ask for nothing. No reply needed. Say so.
- Send it today. The person you just thought of is probably the one.
You may never find out what it did. Most cold water is drunk in private. But somewhere, someone may stop in the middle of a hard week, read your few words, and feel a little of the heat lift.