LETTERS FOR MAISY
- kelly webb
- Jul 29, 2020
- 3 min read
I was watching the News with my family a few weeks ago (which I rarely do but due to COVID19 it's basically all we watch lately), and something caught my attention.
Rachel Gassett, a mom from Oklahoma is asking the public to send letters to her daughter. Her daughters name is Maisy, she is 4 years old & she has autism. During this time, she would love for her daughter to practice social skills amid the Coronavirus Pandemic. She absolutely loves getting mail & this is a special way to develop the skills she needs before starting school in the Fall. Rachel explains:
"When she see's me walk to the mailbox each day, she starts to jump up & down with the biggest smile on her face. She knows that the big stack of mail will have her name on it, and will have people of all ages & abilities telling her she is loved, valued & that she is making a difference"
Below is the Facebook Link that will take you directly to Rachel's facebook page to see Maisy on the News !
I decided that I wanted to write her a letter ! While I was writing the letter with a pen & paper, I actually decided to get out my iPad & do something different & special for her.
I am sure Maisy has been sent hundreds of letters that she is very excited to receive, but I wanted mine to stand out a little more. I decided to draw her as a little cartoon figure along with my letter! Why not add some of my artistic flair to make the letter more personal for her?
I decided to use the photo of her in her yellow floral dress & use that as inspiration.
I also included my art page on instagram so that hopefully she can contact me so I can do more cartoons of her that can be printed & sent in the mail!
I am from South Africa so receiving & sending mail is not something that is really common. Most people wouldn't even think of sending a personal letter to a friend or loved one due to the postal services there. The first thing I wanted to do when I started studying in America was to post a letter, therefore I think this was the best opportunity for me to do so! This was my first letter that I had ever sent using a postal service. It felt really exciting to actually put a postal stamp on an envelope (LOL).
It is an extremely difficult time not only for adults but for young children to live through such a pandemic. It is such a divisive period where social distancing rules are put into place where many connections between people are lost. As humans, we are so used to contact & physical touch. Even though I have never met this little girl, I think it is such a simple way to make a connection between someone in such hard times.
Rachel expressed her emotions towards the response the family has received regarding the letters :
" The year 2020 will be in part remembered for being a time when human contact & communication was extremely limited. However for my family it will also be the same year that my daughter found a community larger than we could've dreamed of, or even knew existed."
With all the kindness in your heart, send a letter to Maisy! It honestly shows that even during a pandemic, individuals feel the need in their heart to make someone else smile looking for nothing in return.
You can mail the letters to the address listed below:
Maisy Gassett
809 Carnes Circle
Perkins, Oklahoma 74059
I understand that a lot of my readers are South African, so if you are interested in sending a letter - you can email me the digital letter & I can print it out & send it via mail for you!
I think it would be amazing to receive love on an international basis! It just shows how humanity can come together to make a small difference.
If you are willing to send a letter, comment below & I will contact you :)
I hope to receive a letter back from Maisy soon & I have a lot more cartoons ready to put a smile on her face!
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