Dear Peter,

I hope you are doing well. I don't really have any organized thoughts to send today. It is late, and I really should be in bed, but I have too many thoughts rattling around in my brain. There are many projects I SHOULD have gotten finished today, but didn't have time. Only two have deadlines, so as long as I finish them tomorrow I should be okay. I also didn't have all of the information to finish other things. Isn't procrastination contagious?

Some of my projects hinge on other people doing their part. They procrastinate, so I don't finish my work. Then I find myself procrastinating with the other projects I could finish if so inclined. Does one ever truly "outgrow" procrastination? I used to procrastinate as a child. Then, as I "grew up" (as much as one can) I tried to become more responsible, and I have done quite well with it; especially this last year. I guess we all let ourselves "slip" at times, but now we are so much older it is harder to catch up. Why can't we just all learn that if we finish the work quickly we will have a lot more "playtime"? I know I am rambling, Peter. I guess the late hour is getting to me.

I also know how blessed I am to have the family that I do. My family truly understands the word "sacrifice". We always have. We were taught by example. My brother, "John" and sister work tirelessly to provide for us. Just this week our other sister and her loving husband sacrificed for us as well to help provide us with a great need. My loving sister sacrifices for her children to see that they are well cared for and happy. She puts their needs and happiness before her own. Her love is great for them. My mother sacrifices her time and energy, so that I may have the time to teach (my one true calling that I love to do), and take care of my responsibilities. I sacrifice as well, but I count it so small a sacrifice it's not worth mentioning. The whole point is everyone sacrifices because the love we have for one another is greater than anything else. And yet, I find it so hard to say these very words to them. Why? For fear of being ridiculed? For fear it won't be received sincerely? I don't know. It seems that as we grow up we lose that innocence to say whatever we want and know that it will be taken as it is being given. We put up a wall, and second guess ourselves. Have we become so cynical that we just take it for granted that people will doubt our motives?


Again, I am sorry for the ramblings tonight. Maybe it is because it is late. Maybe it is because it has been a long day. Maybe it is because....

I will write again soon, with a much more upbeat letter.
Hug Tink and the boys for me.
Love,
Wendy Darling

Dear Peter,

How are things in Neverland? Well, I have decided to start posting your letters here. The price of stamps went up, again, so I felt it was cheaper and faster this way.

Today was a rather relaxing day, but 2 things occurred that made me begin to think of the future. The first happened this morning. I was walking with my dear nephew around the mall. We were supposed to walk twice around to equal 1 mile. Well, I could only make it half a mile. It made me really wish my health was as good as it was when I was younger, so I have once again decided to make the commitment to get healthier. I shall increase my exercise, which is the hardest part for me. I ask you and lost boys to pray for me in my endeavors. I will need a lot of encouragement. (Tell Tink some Pixie dust wouldn't hurt either) :-)

The second came when I watched a movie this evening. The movie, Elizabethtown, was so-so. It wasn't that great, but it did have some really interesting parts. The part of the storyline that really struck a cord with me concerned the main character and his father. His father had passed away, and he went to Kentucky to make arrangements for the funeral. He and his father had not been close for several years, because the son became busy with "life". Through a series of events the son made a new friend and promised her that he would take a road trip home. This trip would take him from Kentucky to Oregon; a trip he and his father were supposed to take together.

So, the son took his father's ashes and hit the road with a very special map. This map was really a scrapbook put together by his new friend. It contained photos, brochures, parts of a road map, and special notes to the young man. Now, you know how I am about scrapbooking, Peter, so this looks like something I would have made for someone. :-) It also contained CDs created by the new friend. These lasted the entire trip. Now, this sounds like my brother "John". You know how much he loves to make mixed CDs. This "map" also had very specific stops marked for the young man to make along the way, and it gave a time limit of how long he should stay at each spot. It was very healing for the young man, and he wasn't given a lot of time to dwell on the negative. Along the way he would leave some of his fathers ashes.

I thought this was such a beautiful idea. It was very "healing" for the young man. The idea was so personal, and I couldn't help but think, "this is something that I would have done." The more I thought about it the more I thought, "I would love for someone to do that for me." I think that is what I will do. I will leave a "map" for someone to follow. I will leave it with you for safekeeping. When my time on earth is through you must get it to my family, I will let you know who.

Now, the only thing to decide is where to begin the journey? Where shall it end? I guess the best place to begin is at the beginning. Just tell them "second right,and straight on till morning."

Yours truly,
Wendy Darling