Email Submission: 4/11/11

"Dear Stranger,

I watched a sunset last night for the first time in a very, very long time. For once, I took a second to myself, away from the noise of the TV, the dishwasher, and life in general. Not something I get to do often. Sitting on my front porch just enjoying the coming night. It was a cool evening, but warm for this time of year. And while I watched this beautiful event, I started to think about life. How poetic, right?

But not just the same old boring things. I started thinking about my family and how they're like that sunset. Each family member is unique, just like every sunset is unique. Each person has their own quirks and traits that make them like no other on this planet. Those are the things that you love about them. My dad with his perfectly crooked smile. My mom and her forever giving heart. My grandmother with her worries and her cares. My grandfather and his serene demeanor but loving laugh. My husband and his goofy ways and loving heart. My daughter, with her innocent face, chubby cheeks, and gorgeous smiling eyes. These people are the light of my life, and some time I take for granted that they'll just be there, always. But they won't. And whether it's they fade away, or I do, one day they'll be gone over the horizon, never to be seen again. But their memory will live on in my heart forever, like the memory of a very special sunset.

Then it got me thinking about sunrises too. And that lead me to think about the day my daughter was born. Shortly after she was laid in my arms for the first time, my husband and I watched a beautiful sunrise out of our hospital window. I won't say there was anything remarkable about it. There weren't fireworks and UFOs flying around. But it was a dawn on a new life for us. And it was quite possibly the quietest, most peaceful sunrise I've ever seen. And it was beautiful.

I guess in closing I can say that my point is, take time to watch the sun make it's way through your life. Sometimes you think of and make memories of the most amazing things when you just take a second to take it all in. Maybe these things have been said before. But I can guarantee they've never been felt the way I felt them watching that sunset.

I hope you take some time to watch a sunset sometime soon.

Sincerely,
Your Stranger"

4/5/11

Want to submit a letter?

On My Absence

Hello Strangers,

I just wanted you to know that there hasn't been much activity on Letters From Strangers because I have been struggling with some health issues for the majority of this academic semester. I have still been getting your letters, and will continue to post, although somewhat irregularly until I'm doing better. If you're still waiting on a letter, don't worry, it should be on its way soon. :) Some of your letters have really helped me hang in there.

A big thanks to everyone who has contributed to the project so far,

Katie

2/13/11

Also, I have a question for you guys. You can view a larger version of the letter when you click on the image, and I think that makes it pretty easy to read, but did you prefer it when I wrote the transcriptions too?

Email Submission: 2/9/11

"Hi Stranger!

I'm writing to share a beautiful thing that happened to me here in this beautiful Island I'm currently working. I feel wonderful and sad at the same time. I met this creature with the most beautiful pair of eyes I've ever seen in my life. He came to the resort the other day, with a girlfriend unfortunately. I thought he was really beautiful. His eyes were captivating. Today he joined our table for a bit to interview my boss for a newsletter that he's working on. I couldn't help not to stare in those beautiful eyes of his. I apologized for apearing to be foolishly unable to concentrate on whatever he was saying and just stare.. He didn't look away, and said he doesn't mind. For a minute we were just looking at each other's eyes, and I thought I didn't want it to end.. He was wearing a gray shirt and I thought his eyes got the shade of gray. I asked him if they change color and he said 'sometimes'. depends on what shirt he's wearing. I said I wonder how they'd look if he's wearing blue. He just smiled and said nothing. After an hour he came up to me and my boss while we were working. And lo and behold he was wearing a blueish, ash colored shirt. And when he looked at me, amazingly his eyes were pale bluish. He said his goodbyes, kissed me on the cheeks and walk away.. They're heading back to the city today...
  
Now Im here in my room, still in the same island.. but feeling different. Did I just miss my chance of happiness,.. I wonder.. or was it really just that..  a piece of one sweet encouter with just another stranger..

till then,
stranger from the island"

2/6/11

1/9/11

And I love it when strangers get creative with the envelope, too:

Just remember to read the terms before submitting. :)