Paper and Ink

to my friend, 

I hope, oh how I desperately 

long for this letter to 

find you well, and prosperous and 

healthy and all those things the world holds dear, 

because I love you, 

my friend. 

and I hope that this letter-

which is so much more than just

paper and ink; no, it is my very 

breath- 

will let you know that 

even though I am waiting out 

a storm of life, even though I am fighting against

the wind and against the world and sometimes 

against myself, 

I am surviving

I am learning

I am breathing in the rain and I am standing on my own and even when I fall back down I am learning to get up again.

thank you for writing back, 

my friend. every letter you send is

a little bit of an umbrella I am learning how make, 

to protect me from this storm.

I miss you very much and I love you even more

your friend