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写给yinianh
你现在过的怎么样呢？今年因为疫情开学推迟了，在家里待了好久。谈恋爱以后也长胖啦，加上天天呆在家里，最近瘦了吗？和昊昊这一年见了几次呀？感情要越来越好！没事不要乱想太多，这个有没有改掉一点了？身体怎么样呢？今年有没有老是熬夜？今年应该已经大二了，要记得报专升本，一定要好好努力。好好学习好好谈恋爱。以后
hanhan
Mar 1, 2020 · Traveled 10 months
写给二狗的一封信
以为是什么？情书？怎么可能哈哈哈你竟然看到了这里哈哈哈哈哈憨批下面没有了真的没有了早！
Orson的3号小迷妹
Apr 17, 2020 · Traveled 1 day
Photo letter
写给未来的鱼
你好ya，香芋，我是梦琪，你还记得我吗？就是和你一起度过欢乐初二时光的上铺好朋友，可能你不记得我了，可能我们玩的还很好，但这些不重要，你要知道，我一直会是你坚强的后盾，记住哦，我爱你。 想要手机号的话，用QQ问我吧，我的邮箱是QQ邮箱哦。 最后，爱你
n4934
Apr 25, 2020 · Traveled 4 years 3 months
赴约
昨天无意中搜自己竟然搜到了我还欠郭和宋一顿肯德基哈哈哈哈，希望我们有机会再聚一次，请她们吃肯德基！
n4948
May 4, 2020 · Traveled 1 year
写给我最遗憾的你
也不知道你会不会收到这封信，反正我是希望你能看到的。写这封信的时候离高考还有五十多天，但收到信的时候，你一定考上想要的大学了吧，离我们毕业已经好几个月了，你应该没有忘记我吧。那段时间我挺不好的，你也知道，我们寝室和组内矛盾比较突出。从我们吵架也已经很多天了，那段时间，我多希望你是站在我这边的，可我知
笙箫不止陌路倾城
May 16, 2020 · Traveled 4 months 15 days
Photo letter
罗仙女
叼毛，你卡有用了对吧，可怜的娃，你一天不在你爹好想你，萨批东西，怎么说呢，你真靓
月同学
Jun 30, 2020 · Traveled 1 day
习惯与某个人分开的时光
那天是2020年8月18日，内心深感孤独与失落，因为chen师兄15号毕业离校了，一起学习的伙伴奔赴他自己的岗位了，内心有一种不出的难过。刚入这个校园的时候， 也曾感到过这种孤单，但慢慢就排解了。可是，师兄的离校，又一次让我陷入无比的失落 中，感觉一切都是没有意义的！好不容易在这个校园里有了一个真正
明天520lover
Aug 18, 2020 · Traveled 1 month
一言难尽
HOLAAAAA！你过得咋样，暑假是不是终于回到了祖国母亲亲爱的怀抱之中【想想就鸡冻[手动狗头]】？国庆怎么样？还在辩论吗？还是Amanda在教你吗？和Medha的关系怎么样了？有没有成为LD的captain？有没有去SAT的夏令营？好啦好啦，我知道了，要给你充足的时间来回答问题。 那就恕我再问最重
戴鹰酱面具的兔
Oct 7, 2020 · Traveled 1 year
冯鑫
臭冯鑫当你看到这封信的时候一定很惊讶吧o>__
翰翰
Nov 27, 2020 · Traveled 1 month 5 days
Photo letter
写给未来的…
还好吗，生活顺利?不后悔遇见你，和你成为朋友真的很开心光遇里说的温暖灵魂就是你，你就是我最好的朋友。不管将来关系如何，你始终是我星盘最亮的星，它终会闪闪发光愿你一切安好
n5426
Nov 27, 2020 · Traveled 3 years
死小明，还记不记得阿崽呀？
你那会儿应该高三了吧？你还记不记得我是谁啊？光遇固玩阿崽啊哈哈哈哈，记得那会儿你天天骂我叼毛和傻
也许还在
Nov 28, 2020 · Traveled 2 years
刘志菲
这应该是两年前，我给你的信吧，如果你还和刘志菲好好的，那你一定要娶她！！
n5636
Nov 28, 2020 · Traveled 2 years
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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