Have you ever heard of a little girl named Samantha Smith? Honestly I had not either. On April 25, 1983 the Soviet Union released a letter that then Russian leader, Yuri Andropov, wrote to Samantha Smith. Samantha was a fifth grader from Maine that had previously had sent him a letter in December of 1982. In response to her letter he invited her to the Soviet Union. You ask why?
In 1983 the Cold War was mentally keeping everyone on the edge of their seat. Samantha decided to write the Soviet leader a letter asking if they were planning to launch a nuclear war with the United States. Andropov, as I read, took this position almost like a grandfather would teaching his grandchildren lessons. Far different then the view we had as Americans of him. So he answered her almost in a grandfatherly way.
The Russian people only want to “live in peace, to trade and cooperate with all our neighbors on the globe, no matter how close or far away they are, and, certainly with a great country as the United States”.
Samantha and her parents did visit the Soviet Union and she went on to be an international superstar. The sad part of the story is that Andropov died in 1985 from kidney failure and Samantha tragically died a year later in a plane crash.
This little girl had no idea what a short little letter could do in the great big world. It’s amazing how we sometimes underestimate what a few kind words or just a little open communication can do on a small stage or even a large stage.
With today’s technology we are losing the art of a good face-to-face meeting. It seems here recently I am finding the face-to-face meetings are so much more productive than any type of technology. It’s really hard to see and feel emotion over technology. With that being said though the old fashion written letter comes in 2nd. It’s an awesome feeling when someone writes you a letter that you receive in the mailbox. Maybe I should look into doing that more. Email me your address if you want a letter!
A nice young worker at the Post Office was sorting through some envelopes when she discovered a letter addressed:
GOD
C/O HEAVEN
Upon opening the envelope she found a letter enclosed from a little old lady who said she had never asked for anything in her life before from God. She was desperately in need of $100 for Christmas though and was wondering if God could send her the money.
Well the young lady was deeply touched by the letter and took up a collection among her co-workers and collected $90. She mailed it to the return address on the envelope and felt joyful for being able to help.
A few weeks passed when another letter came addressed to God from the same little old lady. The young lady again opened the letter and it read:
Dear God,
Thank you for the money. I deeply appreciate it however I only received $90 of the $100 you sent. Those thieves at the Post Office must have stolen the other $10!
Life is short friends. Make the best of it. Your homework for the week is to write someone a letter.
torreygarrison 