There's something powerful about a farewell letter. It distills life down to its essentials: What matters? What doesn't? What we wish we had known sooner. These two letters do exactly that.
Every January, when things feel blank-page-ish, I turn to two very different farewell letters. I reread them whenever I need to feel more grounded.
The first letter is Holly Butcher's very real farewell to the world, written before she died at 27. Her words remind us that life is fragile and we shouldn't waste it.
The second letter is Caitlin Moran's fictional "after I'm dead" letter to her daughter. It starts off cheeky (she apologizes for being dead) and then unfolds into advice I need to remind myself of daily: not to dramatize every wobble along the way.
In This Post:
Holly Butcher's Real Goodbye to the World
Holly Butcher's open farewell letter to the world makes my eyes well up every time I read it. Holly passed away from cancer in 2018 at the age of 27, and her family shared her words shortly after her death. Her letter is heartbreaking, touching, and wise beyond words. I reread it every New Year's Day as a reminder of what truly matters.
One line especially sticks with me:
"The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming … That's the thing about life, it is fragile, precious, unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right."
Life is fragile. Precious. Unpredictable. We shouldn't take our ordinary days for granted.
Caitlin Moran's Fun Posthumous Fictional Words
And then I turn to something lighter, even laugh-out-loud funny: British writer Caitlin Moran's fictional posthumous letter to her daughter.
It's humorous, witty, and sparkling from the very first line. It's a blast to read from start to finish. (Wait till you reach the end. I mean: Dragons! Need I say more?)
In between the jokes, she offers advice I want to heed every day:
- Be nice.
- Shine steadily, like a warm lamp in a dark room.
- Choose friends who make you feel most like yourself.
- Never think of your healthy body as a problem.
And then there's my favorite line:
"Nine times out of ten, you probably aren't having a full-on nervous breakdown - you just need a cup of tea and a biscuit."
It makes me laugh every time. The reminder that not every spiral is existential. Sometimes you're just tired. Or hungry. Or dramatic at 9:47 p.m. because you're tired and hungry. (Speaking from experience.)
I love the balance of these two letters. One grounds me, the other softens me. I feel recalibrated. If Holly says, "Please don't waste this precious life," Caitlin grins and says, "Also, darling, have fun and a biscuit."
Gratitude and biscuits = A good life.
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- Sorcova: A Fun Romanian New Year's custom
- 13 Positive Reminders for a Happy Life
- 20 Positive Intentions for a Magical Life
Enjoy,
Ramona
PS: If you know other farewell letters that inspire you, I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
♥
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