Before computers, we wrote letters. My mother's letters were like little novellas, several pages long. Her family members and friends loved to get her "books." Letters from mom were heartfelt and brought tears of love. As her pen moved passionately across the pages, sometimes her clear, blue eyes would well up. Letters were her release. They were her way of expressing herself in ways she could not voice. Occasionally, she would write letters to people out of anger and then tear them up. These could have been to politicians, relatives, and those are the ones I knew about. She would express her heart's desire, open up her soul, and pour out her thoughts.

While I did not have the beautiful penmanship of my mother, I learned that the pen was my power. Some of my letters were releases which I destroyed. At age 15, I even wrote one about the need for a doctor in our little town. The letter and story was published in the newspaper.

As a writer and a poet, I write as if my words are letters to the world, perhaps to express the desires of my heart. Other times I write to simply write.

When we do express our desires within our heart this has a way of stirring up thoughts and even action plans to make things happen. They could be acceptances of things that can't be changed, but often are steps toward courage to make something happen.

I posed this question and requested to others: What is the desire in your heart? This is my challenge to you. I would like to read about the desires in your heart in the "Dear Heart" anthology of letters, poetry, art, photography, and whatever ways helps you express your passion.

There was a caveat to this. In honor of my mother, the expressions were to be sent to me via good old fashioned snail mail.

Now, it is my pleasure to bring to you these beautiful heartfelt responses via Dear Heart.

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld
Contributirs: Alice Taylor, Chyrel J. Jackson, Danielle Martin, Jia-Li Yang, Jill Sharon Kimmelman, Jodi Lynn Nehring, Karen Monteith, Max H. Tomey, Nanci Arvizu, Pratibha Savani, Rebecca Herz, Richa Dinesh Sharma, Robin Klammer, Sarah Ryan, Shiela Denise Scott, Steve Anc, Terri Michels, Zaneta Varnado Johns,