Olivia's Letter

Positive change can start with us right now.

Back in June, I received a letter from Olivia here at the pottery. I try to write back to those who send me mail as I run a little pen pal club. The idea was to slow down interactions and make the exchange more thoughtful since writing a letter like it's 1980 takes time and effort, and there is even a small cost involved.

Olivia's letter didn't ask about how things were going here or mention what projects she was working on, or any new and exciting things happening in their lives. Instead, it was an invitation to her church's convention.

I could have been one of ten or twenty people Olivia sent these letters to. Right from the start, the letter was very apocalyptic. Olivia wanted me to know just how terrible the world was, and if I attended the convention, I could learn more about what would be done about it and what role I could play in the process. I feel a little bad that I have not answered her back yet.

I am sure I may be the only one to actually write back. Olivia possibly put a bunch of fliers in with these little letters and mailed them all out. She put forth some effort, as there was a stamp on the envelope. That means Olivia placed the letter and the brochure in the envelope. Then, she sealed it shut put a stamp on it, and either placed them all in her mailbox or she took them to the post office.

She expected nothing in return. She may not have received too many responses at all. Writing and sending the flyers might be a requirement for her at least once a year in June. I wonder how I could match that interaction in my own way. Maybe catch her off guard and send her a letter and a handmade mug. I don’t need to change her mind about anything. Maybe I just thank her for her effort in sending me a letter in an old time fashion way, and also putting in the work and cost of buying a stamp, writing, then sealing it all up and placing it in the mail.

In my opinion, apocalyptic views and fundamentalism are among the biggest scandals of the evangelical mind. Such views rob us of our vision of the future and what it could be. It robs us of actually working to create a better world and future. We can start now. We may not need someone to swoop in and fix everything for us.

If we can see past the apocalyptic views and stop trying to force the end, we might be able to create some positive change, starting with ourselves and then sharing that change with others. However, that vision is all but lost, and we may not even try if we believe the world is ending as soon as tomorrow.

Maybe I'll send Olivia a nice mug from the pottery and a letter just to let her know what I am doing here. I might even suggest that she can use her mug to sip tea while doing Bible study. I think she might enjoy that since I might be the first one to write back.

If you would like to write me a letter like it’s 1980 feel free to do so. The information about it is on my website. Just click the appropriate link, and you will find all the information. I hope your view of the future is positive, and I hope that you are working towards creating the change you seek to make as you hand make the pots.