My office bulletin board board of family, friends, and pets—some gone but not forgotten—a daily reminder to be thankful for all the love in my life.

The Importance of Family and Friends

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

“Good friends are forever.” – Marcella, in Marcella’s Secret Dreams and Stories.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Handwriting and Humor of Harry Brabec. A lesson on the importance of preserving copies of the letters and emails you are sending and receiving from family member and friends. 

• The Healing Power of Friendship and Love. The importance of being there for a friend in need and acting on a “nudge to your heart” when someone you’ve lost touch with comes to mind. message everyone can relate to.

“I’ve learned that the wonderful thing about a real friendship is that time and distance doesn’t matter. Real friends are there for life, whether you actually get to see them often or not.” – Barbara

• Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. Nostalgic reflections on the history being lost because of the convenience and speed of electronic and digital communication that have made letters seem impractical.

• The Historical Importance of Family Letters and Journals. Our family histories are being lost because few are saving written details for posterity. Real letters cannot be replaced by cell phone and Skype calls, email and text messages, or Facebook posts.

“Historians will find that collections of serious letters end after 1996. The treasure trove of letters that historians have used for two centuries will cease.” – Dr. Gary North

• Living in the Age of Electronic Friendships. A reminder of all the personal and business friends you have now that you never would have had if you hadn't begun to communicate electronically with others. You’ll be introduced to several of Barbara’s online friends in various walks of life that you might like to connect with too.

• My Father’s Garage—The Story of a Farmer-Turned-Mechanic in the Fifties. Barbara remembers the legacy of her father and his entrepreneurial spirit in building a home and business in the small farming community of Buckley, Illinois. Includes five photos.

• “What Real Life is All About—“The Old Dodge Truck” and “A Bed’s Storied Life”—two short stories that may prompt sweet memories of your growing-up years.

•  Writing as Therapy to Ease Grief and Loss: Moving on from the Painful Loss of a Loved One. It’s not always easy to voice your deepest feelings to another person, but you don't have to be a writer to put them on paper or open your tablet or word processor and let the words pour out.

“I believe some friendships are destined to last a lifetime while others will be meaningful but short-lived, fill-in friendships. We naturally develop many of those as we move through different stages of our life before finally settling down.” – Barbara

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