If You Find This Letter

"Dear you,

You and I have never met so we should probably just start here. Before any other words get placed on this page, you should know that our time together is limited. We probably won't ever meet beyond this one encounter. You won't know me apart from the creases in this paper and swooping of my cursive. We won't ever sit down over coffee or laugh like we're plucking old jokes from our memory. We may never have this kind of thing and I want to learn to be okay with that...

I'm struggling. Struggling in a way that I don't know how to admit to anyone around me. I moved to New York City just two months ago and still haven't found myself at home among the clamor. I feel like I should have sunk more easily into this role as a New Yorker, as Somebody who doesn't speak and doesn't smile and sits in coffee shops alone and is just fine with the solitude. But I'm not. It's driving me crazy. I'm falling apart. I see a girl and a guy meet up in the center of Grand Central, after they've both said good-bye to the longer part of their day, and something inside me starts to ache. Because I want that familiar face. I want someone, anyone, to tell me I am not alone in all of this.

I don't know your story and I guess that doesn't really matter now; at least it doesn't stop me from wanting the very best for you. You deserve that, don't you know it?

It's a little funny. That's the thing we never say to one another - that we all deserve goodness. That we deserve the best stories. That our lives are something to be in awe of and we are just so lucky to be alive and breathing today. It is the first thing I forget. It will probably be the first truth I discard when I fold up this love letter and walk away. I will continue bustling around like crazy, thinking I might find another moment to tell someone how much they truly matter to me. And then I will forget to look up. And the day will suddenly be over. 

I don't want you to slip through my fingers like that so do me a favor and know the truth; You're worth it. You are absolutely, unbelievably worth it and you were made for mighty things. Keep pushing on. Keep pressing. Don't let anyone in this wide, wide world every try to snuff out the light you bring. Yo have to know that it matters. The world is going to try to convince you otherwise but don't listen. Please. Don't. Listen. You are a marvel. It matters that you are here. If ever you forget these things, come find me.

Sending light and love,

A girl just trying to find her way." (86-87).

In the book, If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher, you will uncover something pretty amazing about her and what she did with her life when she moved to New York City in search of meaning to her life. She found that by leaving random letters to people in a variety of places, she was touching a place that most people had in common with her, a need to feel worthy, a need to belong. This is a personal memoir of how writing love letters to people created its own powerful force in the world when The World Needs More Love Letters was launched to address the need for people to be encouraged and acknowledged in this world. From letters she received from her own mother and grandmother to the letters she would write to people in need, this is a truly unforgettable journey into how the actions of just one person can truly change lives forever.

I received If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. This book made me realize that we can all make a difference if we are only willing to step out in faith and try. For me it will be using my blog to reach out and offer encouragement to those who truly need it and to pray for people who ask. For those who are wondering what their purpose is in life, I would encourage you to read this book, you might just be surprised by the answers you find when you finish and thus the reason for a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about If You Find This Letter, Hannah Brencher or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher

You can find Hannah Brencher on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on If You Find This Letter, please visit Howard Books's website. 

You can also visit The World Needs More Love Letters to request your own love letter.