Is a handwritten letter important? Jodi Ann Bickley hit rock bottom after a brain infection left her with a stroke, fits and chronic pain. Contemplating suicide, she decided instead to use her writing skills to make letters of encouragement for others feeling very low. So began her “Million Lovely Letters” campaign.
Within one hour of her launching the website, she had 50 requests from all over the world. She has handwritten over 3,000 personal letters and now has a team of 40 volunteers to help. Local BBC news did a brilliant and intriguing 3 minute video of her story – which is well-worth watching – just input this link into your web browser:
On her website, one reader, a former psychiatric nurse (no, it wasn’t Jo Brand), wrote “a few well-chosen, sincere words are worth more than months on meds. You should be on prescription”
Jodi wrote her own life story with the same title as her website “One Million Lovely Letters” – it was a bestseller. I am surprised that I had somehow missed hearing of her before, but really pleased that I have heard, now.
If you are still intrigued by the real-life story and would like to know more, there is a 13 minutes TED talk featuring Jodi. At the end of her talk, she reads out a letter written to everyone who is watching. So if you could do with some personal encouragement – this might be a gift to you, today. Or perhaps it might be worth sending the link to someone you know, on a day when they are struggling.
Comma And 
Thank you for your post. Words are so powerful and it is wonderful that Jodi has used this power in such a meaningful way.
Yes, sometimes the best ideas are stunningly simple. Jodi was using her skill with words, simply what she had to hand, to share.