A Letter to a Friend, to Open Together Years From Now
Adult friendships rarely end — they just quietly fade. No fight, no goodbye. You graduate to different cities, someone gets married, and the chat thread sinks to the bottom of the list. But there's always that one friend you refuse to let drift away like that. A letter to the future is a clumsy, earnest way of holding on: write down the stupid things you did together, the dreams you swore you'd chase, the thank-you you never said — and send it to their birthday five years from now, or to a date the two of you pick. When it arrives, whether or not you still talk every week, they'll be holding proof that someone once took this friendship seriously. Many friends write in pairs: swap emails at the farewell dinner, each write one, and agree to open them on the same day — a time capsule you bury together and dig up together. Below are letters to friends that writers chose to share. Write yours while you still remember the details.
Ideas to get you started
- Put in the things only the two of you understand: the joke you've retold a hundred times, the trouble you got into together. Those code words will make them laugh out loud on opening day.
- Say a real thank-you — friends almost never do. Name the exact moment they pulled you through.
- Make your predictions for five years out: same city? Who gets married first? Check your answers when you open it.
- Get them to write one back. Same delivery date, opened together.
Real letters from the vault
262 public letters“黑白双煞”六神黑鬼友谊长存
还记得我们认识的时候吗？华夏操场是吧？你还穿着你那件三年舍不得扔掉的水手服，我们因为罚站认识的，那时候我们头发都是扎起来的你住4楼我住2楼，每天上课我都再2楼梯口等你，每次你都被锁，天天拖拖拉拉
杨painrer
Jul 3, 2017 · Traveled 3 years
好同学
我好久不见啦以后时间互相联系不要骄傲和傲气这样也许你会一事无成
涛涛
Jul 21, 2017 · Traveled 2 days
写给狗毛的一封信
狗毛子 非常开心能够认识你 能这么聊的开的男生朋友没几个 首先祝你新的一年快乐 你现在还在谈恋爱吗
n2307
Jul 30, 2017 · Traveled 5 months 2 days
给一年后的浅浅
hey浅浅！刚刚翻邮箱翻到这个网站，就突然想给你写一封。一年啦！你已经高三了啊！身体还好吗，一直很担心。知道你学习很好，所以这点我一点也不担心。到那个时候……已经相识很久了啊，四年了。在17年你删过我一段时间，还记得吗？你现在过得好吗？我们关系还好吗？你这时候有没有在好好睡觉？我是老大所以你是老二。
核桃露
Aug 17, 2017 · Traveled 1 year
梦想
好久不见，过得如何？现在的你在做什么职业呢？我想你肯定在做你最喜欢的事情-演戏，对不对呢？千万别告诉我你现在只是个家庭主妇，我受不了你能成为这样子，或许你的名气不是大，但是你一定要坚持这个梦想。
天使的梦
Aug 20, 2017 · Traveled 5 years
福云哥收一定要看哦
哈哈哈，我这次要悄悄写下这封信，并且神经病的设了一个五年，但你不要担心，我不会说敏感词汇的，万一你娶到了你的毕生挚爱，搞得你们吵架可就不好了，我就是现在上班无聊，所以来提醒一哈五年后的你，要是恩我绝交么差不对可以先来找我低个头认个错，我们就还是好朋友，要我开麻辣烫了就给你五折的优惠，要是没绝交的话，
王兿耼
Sep 18, 2017 · Traveled 5 years
祝新婚燕尔，万事胜意
哈哈，新郎紧张不，未能到场错过了伴郎，依旧开心。 北京深秋的景色无论如何美丽也不如你眼前人迷人吧。九年的时光过的很慢，回头看看我们是不是还是18岁的样子，不过有些发福而已。那有如何我们不还是微笑的面对未来吗。你看你开启的崭新的人生，真正地步入了成功男人的大门。未来有可期～待到约定的而立之年长城之巅咱
转头空川星
Sep 28, 2017 · Traveled 1 month 15 days
写给未来的你
Dear @贺先生也许如今的我们可能是很好的朋友，也可能是陌生人，或者算个认识的人吧。去年的今天我加了你，12.9具有特殊意义，去年的文艺汇演让我认识了你，正因为你帮了我一个微不足道的小忙，所以我想感谢你，是不是有些小题大做了呢？至少在那天，你是唯一一个让我那天觉得特别开心的人，谢谢你给了我这么一份
TwoStars
Dec 13, 2017 · Traveled 11 months 26 days
（无标题）
兄弟，夜生活还好吗，快不快活，和最爱的猪猪睡在一起
又又
Jan 6, 2018 · Traveled 3 years
Photo letter
歪?
歪?你好吗?我是须匙!你现在初三了吧?过几个月就要中考了?加油啊!为了前三百!家里还好吗?小孩们呢?二次还好吗?入新坑了吧?我现在还是凹凸哦画画进步了吧?认识新的小伙伴了吗?去展子了吗?被人夸了吗?新一年加油呀!新年快乐!
一把须匙
Feb 3, 2018 · Traveled 1 year
Photo letter
嘿！小女孩
嘿！小女孩 刚收到这封信时你肯定很惊讶吧！不知道是谁会在你21岁的生日里面，给你一个大大的惊喜呐！！！当然是小可爱白白了吧，相信你还没看完就已经知道我是谁啦，是不是发现看不见，那是因为我就是看不见的 如果猜不出来那就往下看 遇见，古往今来，有太多太多的文字，在描写着各种各样的遇见，遇见仿佛是一种神奇
心里住了朵云
Apr 5, 2018 · Traveled 2 years 9 months
Photo letter
hi，小学同学
hi 小学同学，这是我寄给你的第二封，不知道你能不能收到，去年的今天，我看见你了，在车上，然后我就想起了原来我还有这么一个可爱的同学，然后就马上加了你，刚开始我们聊的挺开心的，不知道后来怎么了，没有你的联系了，我好像做错了什么，不知道你原谅我了没，如果原谅了回我信息，i miss you
小豪
Apr 19, 2018 · Traveled 2 months 18 days
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the letter reach my friend?
Just add their email or phone number when you write. On delivery day they'll get an email and a text, and can open the letter via the link or its 6-digit claim code.
What if they change their number or email by then?
The claim code is the safety net — give it to them now, or hold onto it yourself; it works no matter what changes. You can also send the letter to your own inbox and forward it personally when the day comes.
Should I tell them I wrote it?
Both ways work. Keeping it secret until delivery day makes it a surprise; agreeing to write for each other and open together makes it a ritual. Farewell dinners and birthdays are perfect moments to make the pact.
A Letter to a Friend, to Open Together Years From Now
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