Author Archives: eportugal4
Colleen 3/6/2015 – The Christian Thing to Do
The Christian Thing to Do 5 March 2015 There are few phrases I find more irritating than “it’s the Christian thing to do.” A person has a lot of nerve stating aloud that they’ve decided to do something because it … Continue reading
Elaina 3/5/15 Who Would I Be if No one Judged Me?
3/5/15 Who would I be if no one judged me? I’ve been tossing that question around in my mind this week after reading Colleen’s piece on Judgment and Amanda’s piece on Fear and Ambition. My immediate reaction is, I would … Continue reading
Amanda 3/4/2015 – Fear and Ambition in Brooklyn
3/4/2015 Dear A: How often have you passed a shop window, caught a reflection of an old, jowly broad out the corner of your eye, mutely snickered at her, then realized it’s your own reflection? How many times have you … Continue reading
Colleen 3/3/2015 – Judgment Call
“Judgment Call” We all judge. We can’t help it. It’s a form of self-preservation. When someone else is fatter, dumber, paler, weaker, or less talented, we identify those traits, whether aloud or in private, and then we experience emotional relief. … Continue reading
Kerry 3/2/2015 – Graduating, 2015
“Graduating, 2015” Dear Kerry, You gaze at a photograph of the beautiful Kirsten, your cousin’s tow-headed daughter. She smiles with confidence, prepared to accept her high school diploma and march into the hallowed halls of academia. She banters about scholarships … Continue reading
Colleen 2/27/2015 – Il Mio Tesoro
“Il Mio Tesoro” 27 February 2015 Dear Colleen, She’s your last baby and she’s turning into a petite little lady. Words can’t describe the force of your love. Eleven years ago today, you lay in a hospital bed thinking, “I’m … Continue reading
Elaina 2/26/15 Jesus and Britney Spears
2/26/15 Dear Reader, Last week while grocery shopping, I witnessed a brother and sister, probably no more than four and five years old, get into a scrap in the produce aisle. I’m not sure what precipitated the argument, but it … Continue reading
Sigurd 2/24/2015 – To Whom It May Concern
Tuesday 24 February 2015 To Whom It May Concern: Spent the past two weeks wondering if I should give up this letter writing business. Maybe just toss it aside and let somebody else pick up the slack. I am sure … Continue reading
Kerry 2/23/15 Froggy Valentine
2/23/15 To Kerry, the ever bemused, My littlest gave me a card that professed his love and a foil-wrapped, crown-wearing, milk chocolate frog for Valentine’s Day. “Did you give me a frog prince, my darling?” I asked. “No, Momma. It … Continue reading
Mary 2/21/15 #Amwriting
February 21, 2014 Dear M, As a child you wrote a letter to someone about how you felt, but you weren’t expecting your sibling to find it and make fun of the contents. For years, you separated yourself from your … Continue reading
One Year of Letters 