This Dharma Thought is brought to you by Steve Allison-Bunnell with the Joining Rivers Sangha which meets every Monday at 7PM.
A friend I’ve known for 35 years, and haven’t seen in 25, still sends me a handwritten letter on actual stationery once a year. And of course I answer her in kind. It’s a sweet form of connection, acknowledging the depth of our first friendship in college, and our continued mutual respect over the arc of adulthood. Writing with a pen, trying to choose my words to avoid cross outs, I’m able to reflect on the essence of my life in the past year in a way that texts or emails don’t invite. Unlike social media, I don’t have to pretend everything is the best ever, or try to measure up to my friend’s experience. What comes out is unvarnished and from the heart — the way we talked when we were housemates so long ago. And as I continue on the Path of Practice, this pause to write to her feels even more like a sacred space. Who do you maintain a long-term connection with? How is it special and precious?
