Letters

I recently started writing letters to a friend in jail. This experience is really new to me, and I believe it has definitely (already!) made an impact on my literacy story. At first, I honestly had no idea what to say in my letters to this friend, where to start off. As I continued writing, it became more natural figuring out the differences between normal letter-writing and this type of letter writing. As determined the difference between the two, I found myself questioning every single thing I wrote as if it was a critique! (So ironic because Nikolai is anything but a critic, hahaha..)

Personally, I love writing and receiving letters to friends who aren't close by. I find it can be a really cool connection, specific and personal. I like the idea that although I may be far from someone (in Nikolai's case, I couldn't be farther and more un-reachable), and I can still have a connection with them. Isn't it sad really, now a days how uncommon letter writing is? It's such a dying art! But that's besides the point.

So, earlier I mentioned the difference between letter writing and letter writing to someone in jail, I'll explain what I meant. At first... I didn't even know the difference. This is weird, but for the first time I found myself actually researching on how to write something personal. Haha, in fact  think I literally  googled "How to write a letter to someone in jail." This was foreign to me, and it came up with  different suggestions, some of the one's I remember were:

-Don't avoid the fact this person is locked away. You both know it, so don't be afraid to confront the fact, and remember you wouldn't want that person to feel self concious about you avoiding such an obvious topic

-Remind this person of different times you've shared, hopes for the future, but DON'T get their hopes up if you don't have full intention of following through on your promises!

-Try to incorporate jokes, a generally uplifting tone throughout your letters to keep your friends spirit up

-Send books or articles, ask if they would want anything in particular to be sent to them

-If you are religious, let them know you are praying for them

I was also kind of intimidated in the beginning of the process as I researched specific's on certain jails. The one my friend is in, in Indiana, is super specific about paper. They said "No color, no pictures, and you should know someone will be reading your letter before your recipient does" Eeek!! the pressure, I mean jeeze,  someone else will be reading it.. but I think the saddest part was the no color thing, would it hurt someone in jail to get to have some colorful paper brighten their day.. ?! but oh well, haha!

You get the point; there was a lot of different restrictions and recommendations. It just really makes me think and remember times I did have with him...you know what was really weird? One person online wrote that writing to their friend (someone in jail for life) was like writing to a dead person. "They aren't gone yet, but it's not like they can make any more of themselves before they are." So sad! My letter's are not like that though, because Nik is definitely not permanently incarcerated. I like writing with Nikolai because it's nice to know I can brighten his day. Writing normal letters is awesome, but it's really special to be able to touch someone's day who doesn't really get the option to do much. I wish he could get out sooner, because of all people, I feel he so deserves a life of freedom! It's so sad how a few bad decisions can turn someone's life all around. Nikolai's in for several charges, but they all had to do with his abuse of crystal meth.
The letters are great, but they can't bring back to warm summer night's we got to spend together. Oh how I wish he could have a second chance... As I write to Nikolai I reminisce on times we can remember and smile about. One time I wrote about was when him, my best friend sarah and I were working in a bakery and accidentally cracked about 200 eggs into a soapy bowl,  when we realized we should start over (and wondered how much trouble we would get in!!) Nik threw them into a big black bag over his shoulder, we all laughed as he casually said "I'll take care of it." Another time we remembered was when a group of our friends  one night (up in the Adirondack mountains, we all worked together on an island) were up on a cliff probably 20 ft from the lake. I remembered, I was the first to drop my phone, another friend, Kyle, used his phone to try and find mine- on his way down, his fell and our other friend Bekah's was the last to go after his... hahaha, within like 5 minutes, all 3 of us were phone-less and so mad! As angry as we were, it was still pretty funny, gotta admit. At least funny to look back on, those are the kinds of things in the letters. Sorry for the random tangent, but the point was that this type of letter writing really made me try to incorporate memories and different quotes to keep high spirits for my friend, and also, it's cool because in normal letters, sometimes I find myself complaining about everyday stuff- but in my letters to Nikolai I try to keep everything positive and hopeful. 

In general, writing letters with my friend in jail has already impacted my literacy.  I think before I write, and the "rules" make the art of it almost like techniques we've had to follow in our essays in AP lit class.