Open letter to a special reader

I get a regular stream of communications from readers. Most are about column topics, agreeing and disagreeing, asking and adding to the discussions. Less often but also somewhat regularly, they are more personal. I always try to respond, but sometimes with mailed letters, a return address is not given.

I respect that, but this time it's different. It's different in such a way that I hope the rest of you will forgive me for devoting column space in your newspaper to address one person. And I hope she will recognize this, and respond.

Other than her gender, I can only identify her with this one response to the letter's contents:

I do not want to write your obituary.

Let me explain. I am flattered that you asked me, truly. I thank you for the kind things you wrote in your letter about my writing. But now is not the time for you to need an obituary. You have too many reasons to hope and love in a life that is not nearly complete.

The only thing we can be certain will happen in life is change - change is part of the definition of life itself. Things which are alive thus change, so you can count on your experience to change. Let's talk about that. Please, send me an email. The address is at the bottom of this column.

I have more insight about what you may be feeling than you might realize - our son's suicide, and other things which are too personal to write about here. We can converse about that too, if it would help. You wrote about other personal things in your letter, which I will refrain from mentioning here to respect your privacy: I have thoughts about those. If you like the way I write, then perhaps you will trust the conversation we might have via email.

Will you try? It can't hurt, can it?

I'm waiting, and hoping.

Sholeh Patrick is a concerned columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com. Please.