Correspondence- The Gift of Joy & Kinship

Dear Reader...

Jan 13, 2025

Happy New Year Friend!

I wish you a merry always and a happy everything.

There is a side of friendship that develops better and stronger by correspondence than contact.... The absence of the flesh in writing perhaps brings souls nearer. Emily Carr

I recently rediscovered the art of correspondence, which makes me look forward to this new year. Well, not just that, there are plenty of things, but writing letters is a big one.

One of the benefits of doing interviews on radio and podcasts is the number of emails I receive. People do not always agree with me, but they would like to share their views, and I have, in turn, learned new things.

Thing is, I wake up these days eager to check my mail. And I am never disappointed. I will often find mail signed, “curious learner”, “a lonely man seeking retribution” or “ a Nigerian who found you on social media”.

Media, most specifically social media, has surprised me. I did not know you were hiding in there, consuming my thoughts, mulling over them, and taking the time to seek me out. I am grateful for this new gift of correspondence and for this kind of friendship.

Friendship, platonic, that has been taken for granted. Often we are obsessed with romantic love and burdening partners with many needs that could be shared with a friend. We are complex beings with so many needs and wants that cannot be fulfilled by having one ‘special’ person. I am learning this.

This lesson of friendship through correspondence, as you can imagine, is exciting for me. Me, who writes about romantic relationships, a lot. In this new year, I am taking my correspondence seriously. I will savour the quiet moments of retrospection as I pen down thoughts, ideas and dreams to strangers who are kindred souls.

Warm regards,

Felgonah.

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