REAL LIFE

Sending "Sweet" Mail

By Julia, age 14, New York

Truth is, this all started about nine months ago. My mom received a family movie from my aunt for Christmas, titled Letters to God. The film, inspired by a true story, recounts the life of eight-year-old Tyler Doherty through his struggle with cancer. To cope with this pain, he writes letters addressed to God that find their way into the hands of the local mailman. The letters are so moving that they ultimately lead the confused man to Christianity. In the end, the boy dies with peace of mind, a strong faith, and new friends.

The film itself is, as my mother would put it, "a tear jerker." It contains all the emotion-exposing elements you could ask for from a film. But something about it left me wondering long after the ending scores. I felt something in that story that I hadn't for characters in any cinema I'd ever encountered. Tyler could have easily been me. I could have been strapped to gawking machinery and left bald from treatments. It made me immeasurably thankful for my good health.

Newfound thankfulness was not enough though; I had to act. One thing chronically ill children need is compassion. Luckily I am not the only one who feels this way. In just a few Google searches I was able to locate some low cost ways to brighten the days of ill children all across the nation. Letters and card-making is the practice I have chosen.

My mom has always had a passion for scrapbooking, which grants my sisters and I access to the latest stamps, ink, paper, and ribbon any crafter could desire. She spent many years attempting to pass the tradition down to us, leaving me with an unused scrapbook kit filled with materials to begin. My first cards were not very visually appealing. All I can hope is that those cards put smiles on the children's faces that I wrote to.

Today my cards are continuing to evolve. I have established a source - Hugs and Hope I find the names and information of the children I write to. Hugs and Hope is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of ill children through the distribution of "happy mail" - not "get well" mail or "feel better" letters, but honest, heartfelt, hand written messages to today's most struggling youth. I have yet to receive any responses, but I know in my heart that they must be making a difference. They have on me.

Interested in joining the cause? You don't have to be artist or writer to make an impact. Retrieving a colorful piece of paper and pen is simple. Mother Teresa once said, "Kind words can be short and easy to say, but their echoes are truly endless." Think of what you would like to hear if you were one of the struggling ill, and show sincerity. Your efforts will flourish more than self-fulfillment.



What did you think about this article? Tell us!


First Name:
Age:
Email or MySpace:
Subject:
Message:



Sweet Advice
Staff
Downloads
Reader Feedback
Alerts

February & March Magazine Issues

March 15, 2012

The February and March issues of Sweet Designs Magazine are now online, featuring a combined 53 new articles and features!!

- Cover: Stephanie Lynn reflects on 5 years
- Cover: India (of Darn-licious knitwear)
- Life in the dumps (moving in with my bf)
- The difference between men and women
- Angels among us (parts 1 and 2)
- Arts graduates & the dark night of the soul
- Triple threat (how I survived my teen yrs)
- Dating isn't easy (my true story)
- How to turn not-so-great gifts ... (fashion)
- Ten reasons to love being single
- Taking the big leap (college)
- Valentine's Day (not what you'd expect!)
- The last of the cold (hopefully) (fashion)
- A month full of love
- Ten tips for successful airline travel
- Reasons I love writing for SDM
- Who needs love?
- They're not all the same
- The life I'm glad I don't have (fiction)
- Professional dress/ finding Fendi (fashion)
- An airport anniversary: a true story
- Inappropriate Facebook photos
- The perks of a big city (college)
- A night(mare) to forget (part 2)
- The Anita Blake series (book review)
- Saving June by Hannah Harrington (book)
- Under the Mesquite by GG McCall (book)
- The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (book)
- If I Stay by Gayle Foreman (book review)
- My sweetheart (original poetry)
- Isn't it funny (original poetry)
- The stranger (original poetry)
- A winter wonderland (original poetry)
- One night valentine
- The thick envelopes (college acceptance)
- Southern love
- Healthy hair and vitamins
- It's a date (dating idea alternatives)
- The 30 hour famine
- School's out forever!
- Marching right back into spring? (fashion)
- Dear John
- When TV shows depict your life
- 3 Fun ways to rock spring's hottest trends
- Neglected teeth
- Starting something new
- Guy movies
- To hesitate or dive in?
- Deadly, by Julie Chibbaro (book review)
- Beastly, by Alex Flinn (book review)
- I don't care (poetry)
- Together, alone (poetry)

Sweet Designs Magazine
The Magazine You Can Write For
The Voice of a New Generation

Search

Your Ad Here