"When life is looking hopeless one letter can change your life forever" - A Million Lovely Letters by Jodi Ann Bickley

Jodi's life was completely altered by something that occurs in the book, in some ways her life becomes lost for a while. 

A lot of people go through times like this, but it is how we choose to go through these events that can help. Inside letters that people write are the stories of their lives. They are intertwined through each word on the page.

    

                                        

Jodi found a way to help herself with her situation by writing letters to people and reaching out to people so that they could get advice from her during their rough times. She set up an email where if people wanted her to write a letter to them, they could ask her to send a letter by describing their issue with her.

When I was little I asked my parents why I didn't receive mail. Of course as a child I did not realise that adults mainly due to our responsibilities receive mainly bills and notices that we have to take care of. 

I chose to write to my grandmother so that I could receive mail of my own. I remember that there was a time in my childhood that I received letter stationary kits for my birthday and from the enjoyment of writing letters I continued this for a while. Until I got my first email address and the convenience of  email took over. 

Gone are the days we communicate to each other by what is commonly referred to as "Snail Mail". 

As lockdown began, like a lot of us I needed an outlet, something to keep me occupied. I found a community of pen pals both internationally and locally. 

I was now connected through making friends in what some people describe as an old-fashioned past time. It seems to me that for Jodi, the letters she wrote became a coping mechanism similar to that of a journal. 

Her letters are linked with childhood memories that are well written and can be easily imagined in your mind. Her childhood memories then turn into stories of her young adult life and how she tackles becoming an adult. She is a very determined person, social and enjoys being busy. All of that changes through one incident and the changes ultimately affects her in a way that makes things hard not just for Jodi but the people in her life. 

She talks about people that stick by her, the ones that don't and how it some ways it is because she loses hope she needs to figure out who she is again. 

Her project gets her back in touch with people in the world around her and she states that because she has had tough experiences she can draw on this to help others. Unfortunately this book tends to become repetitive especially towards the end. 

However what I enjoy the most is listening to Jodi, what inspires her to keep going and how she helps others do the same. It's a story of inspiration and one that needs to be read if you too are struggling with holding on to hope.