"Letter to an Inmate" by @garryke - Reposted by Charlie Shrem
This letter was written by a long time friend @garryke to me while I was in prison. I cried when I read this and called Courtney to read it to her. I've kept this letter, like other letters but wanted to share this beautiful message with you.
If you like this, please follow @garryke. He will be writing some amazing things for Steem. All rewards from this post will go to @garryke
Hey Shrem,
I'm sorry it took so long to contact. I honestly thought I had, until I stop to think about it the other day.
Anyway, I hope you're doing well. I can't imagine what it must feel like for you but I do hope things are at least a little more normal now.
I'm doing well myself. I stopped all interest in IT completely now. I couldn't possibly live at a computer screen for the rest of my life. Instead, I've taken to pursuing a dream I've had ever since I was a child. I've always wanted to be a writer. So I wrote my story, titled "the order of Ivayla", and be gone recently to seek an agent. No luck yet but fingers crossed. I have handwritten the synopsis and put it with this letter. I thought you might be interested or curious.
One thing you might be interested to hear. My girlfriend lives in Devon ( seven in Cornwall are notorious in the UK for having hills everywhere) One day when I was there we found this huge mountain. I got curious and said "I wonder what the view from up there looks like "so we went up and on my gosh we were amazed. It was a tough climb on foot and the area in particular is surrounded by Valley's. At the top of geography became obvious as we look down on these valleys for miles and miles! But that was not the best bit. There was a meadow with grass is high as our knees and off to the left a small wooded area. In that, near its entrance, people had carved their names into the trees. One of them looked a bit like ....
..... you get the picture. Beneath it, two pairs of initials dated 1943. Really made me wonder, the place was beautiful and could easily have been a place of solitude for a young couple, away from the havoc of the war. Maybe it was a female in love with the soldier who was about to leave. Maybe she never saw him again and that little mark on the tree symbolizes not only love that was vanquished but also during times of great fuck all day or turmoil, there will always be a sense of peace. It's so strange don't you think?
Not really sure what else to say I haven't written a letter since first school 20 years ago. So how are you doing? Have you adjusted well? Hopefully you'll be out soon enough.
Regards
Garry Edwards
Beautiful letter, indeed.
BUT:
... surrounded by Valley's. ???
At the top of geography ... ???
On the photo of the letter, we clearly read:
... surrounded by valleys.
At the top the geography ...
See my answer to Oleg, could be the reason I think. That or mild dyslexia.
What a beautiful gift to be given the opportunity to see this letter and having the chance of reading it. Thanks, it was very beautiful and hopeful, inspiring and openheartedly written. Namaste :)
Very emotional letter. Thanks for share it :)
I love letters. It's such an art form that I fear is in the winter of its existence...along with cursive writing (that's another discussion). I love reading letters because I feel so many people allow themselves a certain vulnerability within their words, but there's an additional vulnerability, character and true personality revealed through a person's handwriting as they compose a letter meant for another person to read.
The letters I have received over the years are some of the most personal writing to which I've been exposed, and as an English major and then an educator, I've been exposed to a mass of writing.
I hope handwritten letters and handwritten journals stay alive. I believe our handwriting is precious and an endangered species in itself.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hello there Charlie,
I noticed your tweet is now trending on Reddit as well.
Maybe this could be a good opportunity for a Steem blog post on the merits of an increased block size?
This is so emotional! He is a true friend and I appreciate you for posting this amazing experience!
Your friend did a good job in writing this letter to you! I hope your friendship is much stronger now!
Tears
Its good to get a letter from a friend in jail. Lonely places those bricks and mortar. Cool brother - how do you know him? is he succesful now as a writer? Its good your giving your time to promote others too g.. holla back
Hey Charlie, I really like what you're undertaking to do here but I'd like to suggest that it would be a lot better if the author you're introducing has done at least one or two posts.
Sort of a selfish suggestion because if I like the author's work I can add their post to the Steemit Ramble that day.
Outragesus post, i like the way he write, the way he composes his taughts in this text. upvoted.
I'm really glad you liked it! That was the first time I've written a letter in a very long time.
The tree is still there by the way. My girlfriend and I put our names into it to preserve a little bit of our relationship too. So hopefully someone will come along in fifty years time and see the two!