Ignored Pen Pal

My fifth grade class received letters from pen pals: other fifth grade students in British Columbia. We were tasked with writing back to them and starting a companionship that was meant to last years.

I never responded.

His name was Tyler. He had just started playing hockey but he didn’t know if he liked it all that much. He wondered what New Brunswick was like.

I wanted so badly to craft the perfect letter. A piece of literature that would accurately portray the trials and tribulations of my fifth grade life. Days went by, and suddenly I felt so guilty that I hadn’t answered. Then I became so overwhelmed with guilt that months passed. Then years.

That letter sat on my bookshelf until I saw it during a visit home from university. I think I threw it out.

Poor Tyler… He could have gone years thinking that I was so appalled by or disinterested in his candour and kindness.

I still feel bad thinking about it. And that is why I want to jump on this project right away and not leave it hanging.

I’d like decentre to be a source for folks feeling distanced from whatever it is that could make them feel valued. I see that rural artists feel discouraged from pursuing their passions because they don’t have connections to the resources they need.

I sat on this for years, and other than some great conversations with pals and sketches of “next steps”, it stayed rather dormant. I don’t want this to become another ignored pen pal. I believe in it, even though I don’t exactly know what it will become.

We can’t shy away from doing things that are important to us simply because we’re scared it won’t be perfect.