Have you ever thought, what if there’s a way to still talk to our dearly departed loved ones? It’s undeniably something that can help ease the pain of their loss and make you feel connected with them no matter how long they’ve been away from us. Well, a 10-year-old girl in the UK has come up with an idea, dubbed “postbox to heaven,” to help those who are grieving.
After both her grandparents died, Matilda Handy missed them so much that she proposed the idea of writing letters and putting them inside a postbox to be installed in the cemetery. Her mother, Leanne, loved the idea and approached the Gedling Cemetery in Nottingham last year, to which they agreed to do so. They set up an old post box that had been painted white and gold in preparation for Christmas.
As of writing, there are now over 40 postboxes across England, Scotland, and Wales, thanks to their efforts.
Clearly, the idea is not just limited to the kids longing for their loved ones. Everyone is welcome to write their cards and find comfort in sending them. Anything goes, whether it is a kid illustrating a picture, a parent composing a poem, or an older person writing a love letter.
BBC recently reported that a new postbox has been installed at Norse Road Crematorium in Bedford, inspired by Matilda’s idea. Bedford Borough Council, which installed the postbox, said it had received a number of requests from residents for a similar box locally. Matilda’s mother, Leanne Handy, was gratified to see her daughter’s idea reach other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, social media users continue to praise the Handys and the cemeteries’ efforts in encouraging people to keep their late loved ones close to them through ‘postbox to heaven’. Some even had suggestions for the initiative.
“Such a sweet thing to do and it could be like a form of therapy,” a user commented. “It might be interesting if they had someone (a therapist or something) screen the letters and match people – someone who lost a parent with someone who lost a child, etc to help with grieving. Sort of an adopted grief family,” said another.
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