Friends, I am honored by visits to this blog from many countries. I thank you for visiting https://afriendsthoughts.blogspot.com/
My local newspaper – The Day, of New London, Connecticut, USA – recently, but only briefly, gave me space in one of its publications for an advice column entitled “A Friend’s Thoughts.” For business reasons, that publication and the column ended - but the thought remains with me: so I invite letters in the English language, by email to leelandcolechu@gmail.com from anyone, anywhere, who thinks I might have a useful perspective on a difficult or puzzling situation.
If, and whenever, someone writes to me for my thoughts, whatever the subject, I will do my best to convey my understanding that we are equals who can learn from one another. However, I will be writing for free and I have no staff: I cannot promise to reply to every letter, let alone to reply as quickly as the writer might like.
I am a fortunate and happy 75-year-old man. I have been a husband, father, attorney, mediator, judge and, of course, a friend for decades. I have made many mistakes and experienced failure, regret, and loss – and tried to learn from each of those. In striving to be a good person, I ask myself a lot of questions about personal responsibility and spirituality. (For examples, please search on “reality check” in this blog.) Any reply to a letter requesting my thoughts will always and only be as someone who reads, and replies, as a friend – never as a lawyer, psychotherapist, or other professional or expert. In my response to any submission, I will likely suggest more questions than answers, aiming to contribute to the clarity, empowerment, resilience, and peace of mind of the who write to me.
I will set up a public, online archive for what I write in response to the letters I receive, but I cannot promise that every submission to which I reply will be published. If you write to me, you implicitly and irrevocably convey me and to any editor or publisher of any collection of my writings, the right to edit your letter for clarity and brevity; you grant me and all publishers of my work an unlimited, unqualified license to publish your letter, as is, or as edited, in any format (in a blog, book, or podcast, for example); and you disclaim any compensation for writing me, for the content of your letter, or for your letter being published with my reply.
Wishing all of you, my readers, health, peace and fulfillment, I thank you again.
Leeland Cole-Chu
