I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see the top of it. When mother wrote letters, I stood by her chair locking at the ink bottle, the pens and the white paper. Since then, I felt that writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world and decided to do some work about writing.
As a young girl, I expected heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. It never happened. So there were disagreements even arguments between us. As years went by, I had my own family, I got to understand my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words because I hoped that she could forgiveme and had not been angry with me. I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came. My hope turned to disappointment, and then it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure the letter had ever got to mother.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said, “is for Elizabeth.” The present of her told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some paper inside—a photo of my father and a one-page letter I wrote which she had read many times. I knew she loved me. Even if she didn’t reply to my letter, she made me know her love instead of words.