The Value Of A Letter? Consider Martin Luther King & His Letter From Birmingham Jail

                                                                                      
   Alexandra Stoddard, in her book Gift Of A Letter quotes Sir Walter Raleigh , The appeal of a study of the great letter writers, is that it introduces us not to literary works but rather to individuals, who satisfy our innate curiosity about other people's lives and emotions.

  
    Stoddard also writes:

   Writing has permanence  and requires discipline, which makes it stimulating to our minds and senses. Whenever we extend an effort, we become aware of the mysterious workings of our brains. Writing is active. We are the creator.

    As writers, I think   we sometimes forget the value of letter writing, and how letters contribute to the subject we choose to write about,  no matter the genre: Biography, Romance, Mystery, Memoir.  Letters can help develop character and motivate story and plot. I can't say for sure, but I bet hundreds of novels have been written because of the influence of some old letter read, some  that even  led to social change .
   
   Consider the letter Martin Luther King wrote in 1963 from Birmingham Jail. He wrote the letter in response to public concern of eight white religious leaders of the South that became a corner stone of the civil-rights movement.

     King wrote:

      I am in Birmingham because of injustice here....I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever effects one , directly affects all indirectly.

      Not all  who write letters will instill the passion and impact on society King did, but letters can serve as  tinders  of memory and past events, or illicit hope for the future;  family letters will often describe, or give insight to the life our  parents, grandparents and great grandparents lived.  Some letters may simply relay a kind word , or  happy greetings to a friend.

     About letter writing , I wrote the following , originally posted  January 12, 2014 on my blog
2 lane highway (http://2lanehighway.blogspot.com)

                                                 Is Letter Writing A Lost Art?

    A sweet, lovely gift arrived in my mailbox Saturday.  A letter  addressed to me from my dear friend, Phyllis.  Letter writing is considered  a lost art these days, so it was with great delight I opened the lengthy missive to  read the salutation that began,  Dear Kath

      I curled up in my favorite  comfy chair,  to sit leisurely in  front of the warmth of the fire to read  the newsy details of my friends family Christmas, a grandchild's  soccer game,  a younger brother living in Oklahoma , and  movies. It had the easy, natural telling  so familiar between trusted friends.

     Phyl also expressed her thoughts  about an article she recently read in the Los Angeles Times titled,  A love letter to the letter . The featured columnist, Simon Garfield laments  the loss of letter writing , and what society misses  by only texting, tweeting  and email.  I , too, lament the loss of letter writing and have blogged on this subject before.  Garfield rightly points to Keats and Dickinson,  suggesting what we know about their lives , their creative talent  and style wouldn't be known without the  personal letters they wrote.

    The same holds true not only for people of fame - authors, poets, politicians, but those within our own life circle.

     I thought about the box of letters I have from family and friends dating back to the late 1950's , and  how they describe place and time, activities and adventures,  mood and emotion . Sometimes they express encouragement, other times great sadness.  But what they always do is  leave a history , if even a glimpse,  of who we were, and how we lived.

    To write a letter takes some effort, it is sharing, a giving of oneself. There was a time, for  30 years or more  I received a letter from my Grandmother Vera Cooney every week. She was always interested  in how we were doing - mother,  my brother, and me. Then  she'd  write about her  activities - catering a big wedding and decorating cakes,  China painting, church,  an Altrusa club meeting, and  news about aunts, uncles and cousins, and about the weather in Council Bluffs.   I always looked forward to a letter from Grandma, and am happy I kept so many of them. There are other letters in my box - from Grandma Blanche, Aunt Nor, Dad, Uncle Lloyd,  Grandma Viv, and many cousins , including  Shauna  and  Nicole ; from long time friends who wrote about their summer vacation  at the beach, or some feeling of great angst or  delirious  joy about a boyfriend , or loss of a boyfriend.  Each letter important, and held very dear. Each one a small  part of the larger story of family and friends. Sharing a moment in time.

    Not to brag, but there was a time I considered myself  a good letter writer, too.  Not so much now, as I , like most today have fallen victim to the  quick and easy text and email where texts never linger long, and email deleted.

     In his L.A. Times article, I appreciate what Garfield writes:

    And if we continue to replace simple letters with their instant always-on alternatives, we relinquish so much epistolary architecture too. The elegant opening address and sign off, the politeness of tone and the correct grammar and spelling. And before this there is the nice flowing pen and the stationery, and after it the scuttle for the stamp and the rush to the last post.

    Receiving my friends letter helps renew my hope for letter writing.  I'm grateful for her letter, and the joy it brought me,  and because of her letter, I'm  prompted  to  take pen and paper in hand   and  write a letter, too !

To read Simon Garfield's complete article visit
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-garfield-letter-writing-20131229,0,2646801....

Martin Luther King/Letter From Birmingham Jail
http://www.uscrossier.org/pullias/king-jr-letter-from-birmingham/

A Most Difficult Writing Privilege---letter for adoption

 Good friends are in the process of adopting a baby. They have asked me to write a letter of recommendation. I am honored, scared, and worried.  My writing skills feel like they are under scrutiny in neon yellow highlighter. 

I have been thinking about this letter for weeks. (I have until the end of January to complete the task.) I think they asked me to recommend them because I have known the woman since she was in elementary school and her husband for over ten years. I do not think the fact that I am writer has influenced their request but it is prominent in my mind. The adoption agency will not know that I am a writer but I know and thus I feel the weight of choosing the perfect words and phrases that will persuade the agency to realize that this couple will be great parents. 

What if I "miss the mark" or worse yet say something detrimental to their quest? What if I neglect to include an important facet of this this couple's profile? What if my sentences are trite and boring? What if I am not serious enough or too stiff in my writing? What if the letter sounds forced and not free flowing with admiration for this couple and their ability to care for a child? How can I write the most enticing letter to this adoption agency?

I finally had enough beating myself up and got down to the task. GBG! God bless Google. I typed in "sample letters for recommendation letters for adoption" and got numerous web sites. Fortunately, I think, they all had about the same format and structure. From each site, I gleaned ideas on how to present facts about the couple and about each person. I learned what salient points need to be mention. I believe I am smart enough to know what not to include. 

These are some tips I learned if you should ever be in a position to write a recommendation for adoption or need to request it of a friend.

1. Be sincere. Communicate that they will take good care of a child.
2. State how long you have know each of them.
3. Reveal that they are a stable couple, financially responsible and able to provide a loving, safe environment for a baby/child.
4. Mention activities in which they are involved especially community activities.
5. Include if there is a support system nearby such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, close cousins and long time friends.
6. Tell how you have seen them interact with children.
7. Find a way to explain what they can teach a child.
8. If you do not know a salient point, do not worry about excluding it. Usually the agencies ask for three letters of recommendation and probably one of the other letters will cover the point.
9. Do not discuss their problems in conceiving a child (if any); the couple will divulge what is necessary. They may want to adopt a child even though they have other biological children or are choosing not to have a biological child. The story and reasons are theirs to tell.

Here are some phrases I found helpful:

--I know nothing in their characters that should prevent/hinder them from being wonderful parents.
--Both are kind and patient.
--They are a pleasure to be around, include others in their activities and join in easily within groups.
--I am writing an unrestricted recommendation letter because....
--When I met "John" I knew there could be no one better for "Anne" than "John." They are loving toward each other and kind to others.
--Please feel free to call at this number (xyz) xxx-xxxx during the day if you have any questions. (This conveys the idea that you have nothing to hide, that you are willing to answer extemporaneous questions and that you fully support their decision to adopt.)

The anticipated end result! (Actors)