As I sat at my computer, I logged onto the pen pal site to wade through some possibilities as m first pen pal. I was surprise at how many profiles I found and tried to narrow it down to a manageable few. There were ones who were looking for a romantic relationship, so I obviously weeded those out. About twenty minutes into my scrolling, I found one that jumped out at me. The young woman was a new mother, having adopted a wee girl from a Pakistani refugee camp who was looking for advice and help. I laughed aloud as I read her account of feeling as though there were a language barrier between herself and her daughter. Och, wee ones, no matter where they are from, have a way of making us grown-ups feel that way! Looking at Meadow’s lovely face made me reminisce about when my wee ones were her daughter’s age. They were such a joy but a handful at times. I also distinctly recall how it felt to be a new mother. I had a husband to share the joys and the work with, but this lady was a single mother who obviously felt overwhelmed…and scared. My heart truly went out to her and I decided then and there to write to her.

Dear Meadow,

I saw your profile on the Pen Pal Project website and thought I would write you a letter of introduction. My name is Lenora Landgraab and I live with my husband, Tyrone, in Aurora Skies. I am the proud mother of five grown wee ones (yes, they will always be my wee ones no matter how old they are) and the grandmother of four grown handsome grandsons and three beautiful granddaughters that three of my children have adopted from a very unique orphanage that my two daughters volunteer at. I won’t bore you with the rest of the basic information since you can find it in my profile if you are interested.

I was drawn to your profile due to your outlook on life and because of your desire to communicate with your wee one. What you are going through is normal, believe me. We, as parents, will go through that many times while bringing them up; it sometimes happens even after they are grown. 🙂 There are ways of bridging that gap and you will be surprised at how quickly it can fall into place. It takes time and patience, but most of all, it takes a lot of love, which you have in abundance, I’m sure.

Och, you don’t know me from Adam and here I am giving advice already! My grandda always says I’m too smart for my own good and my daughter, Andrea, always teases me about inheriting her big mouth from me. Old habits die hard, I reckon.

If you are interested in corresponding with me, I would certainly enjoy hearing more about how your wee one came into your life. It must be a fascinating story about how you found her in a refugee camp. As a writer, I adore hearing about other people’s experiences.

Well, I shall end here, as it would be exceedingly unbecoming for me to write a novel as a first letter. May ye and your wee one be forever blessed with rays of golden sunshine.

Warmest regards,

Lenora