“Dear L--Fell asleep in a park. Started to rain. Woke up with my hat full of leaves. You are all I see when I open or close a book.Yours,M”
The quote by Alexis M. Smith conveys a sense of vulnerability and longing through poetic imagery and personal confession. The speaker's experience of falling asleep in a park and waking up with their hat full of leaves suggests a state of disorientation and being close to nature. The mention of the recipient, L, as being all they see when opening or closing a book, implies a deep emotional connection and perhaps a sense of solace found in literature. Overall, the quote captures a moment of intimacy and introspection, highlighting the power of relationships and the impact of a person on one's thoughts and experiences.
In this digital age, where communication is often done through text messages and emails, handwritten letters still hold a certain charm and intimacy. This note from Alexis M. Smith to L captures a moment of vulnerability and connection that transcends time and technology. It serves as a reminder that simple gestures of love and affection, like writing a heartfelt letter, can still resonate deeply in today's fast-paced world.
"Dear L--Fell asleep in a park. Started to rain. Woke up with my hat full of leaves. You are all I see when I open or close a book. Yours, M" - Alexis M. Smith
As we reflect on the message shared by Alexis M. Smith in the note to "L," we are prompted to consider the emotions and experiences that may have influenced this brief yet impactful communication. The following questions may help to explore the themes of love, nature, and connection embedded in Smith's words:
By contemplating these questions, we can delve deeper into the layers of meaning within this poetic message and possibly draw connections to our own personal experiences and relationships.
“You've been here before, Bell. Remember the stories you told me about wandering in the woods when you were a little girl? It scared the crap out of you, but you went out there all alone, knee-high to a bunny rabbit, and picked berries and climbed trees and found bird nests and came home all bug-bitten and mossy. And you loved every minute of it. It made you our beautiful Arctic Bell, impervious to cold and feared by mosquitoes. Aren't you glad you didn't stay by grandma's side, darning socks and baking gingerbread?Who darns socks?Girls nobody tells stories about.”
“Monotonous and thankless as her job can be sometimes, she cheers at the thought of her coworkers - a dozen of them crammed into their little offices in the basement - all cleverly disguised as harmless geeks, all capable of saving the world if called upon.”
“There's not a thing in the world that will not change, including you.”
“Her sister read that spiders have book lungs, which fold in and out over themselves like pages. This pleased Isabel immensely. When she learned later that humans do not also have book lungs, she was disappointed. Book lungs. It made complete sense to her. This way breath, this way life: through here.”
“It’s never the wedding dresses, you know. We keep those, too, but only because they’re so blooming expensive. No. I’ve seen enough old ladies’ closets to know what we really hold on to. Not the till-death-do-us-part dresses. It’s those first lovely dresses: the slow dance dresses, the good-night-kiss dresses. It’s those first pangs we hold on to.”
“Before Isabel could read, she loved books.”