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
Photo letter
写给lyc
生日快乐呀～我应该没记错吧，记错了也没事反正我的祝福已经送到啦～你应该有了很多很好很好的朋友陪你一起陪你过生日吧，或许还有很爱你的她哈哈哈你应该很幸福了（如果这个没有实现的话，当我没说hhh，不是故意戳你是单身狗的点❛‿˂̵✧）～反正都是理所当然的事情。祝你一切顺利，心想事成！你真的很好啦，脾气好，
n7370
Aug 25, 2021 · Traveled 1 month 25 days
给乖乖
我傻了，我是笨比，可以不用注册，我还写了两份，你的憨憨是个憨憨，貌似待会你还会收到一份，如果没有的话当我没说（笑死）
大鲨鱼
Oct 24, 2021 · Traveled 2 months 8 days
找我，我便在！！
张大美女，还好吗？原谅我没有回你的消息。并不是我没有看见，也并不是不想回你，只是在面对着你我不知道该说些什么才好！ 你说命运真的很奇葩哎，他给了我们不同的未来！却又让我们彼此有那么多的交集。有些时候啊，我就在想，我们是怎么认识的呢？一切在我心里好像有了答案却又好似没有结果，真是个伪命题啊。还记得我和
拜拜
Oct 31, 2021 · Traveled 1 day
张大小姐
张大美女，还好吗？原谅我没有回你的消息。并不是我没有看见，也并不是不想回你，只是在面对着你我不知道该说些什么才好！ 你说命运真的很奇葩哎，他给了我们不同的未来！却又让我们彼此有那么多的交集。有些时候啊，我就在想，我们是怎么认识的呢？一切在我心里好像有了答案却又好似没有结果，真是个伪命题啊。还记得我和
拜拜
Oct 31, 2021 · Traveled 1 day
Photo letter
写给山猪
我来到新学校已经有一个学期，哎，新同学还可以吧，但是没有那种一看到对方就会笑的感觉，害呀，要比你少一年高考了，我想考中国政法大学，不知道能不能考的上诶，省中饭好求难吃，今天见了胡媛儿,听说你生病过敏了，也不见你回消息跟我说，早点好起来呀
n7515
Nov 6, 2021 · Traveled 1 year
Photo letter
山猪
冬天了诶，我到新学校也要一个学期了，我想考中国政法大学了，新朋友还行吧，没有那种一看到就想笑的感觉，今天见了胡媛儿，听说你生病过敏了，你也不说一声，你要早点好起来呀
巴啦啦
Nov 6, 2021 · Traveled 1 year
From
爸比： 早安午安晚安！ 写信此刻，是凌晨四点半。我们在广州，你正在我对面加班工作。这是你来广州的第三个月，也是我第二次来广州和你见面。（哈哈我写到这里的时候，你还因为叫我名字没回应而弹了我一个脑瓜崩！好痛！） 我也不知道什么时候你会收到这封信，但希望你收到的时候，我们还在一起，还互相相爱，此刻如此，
_CYNTHIA
Nov 27, 2021 · Traveled 3 months
给周语伊的
身边还是他吗？开心吗？爸妈身体如何，你自己呢
n7821
Apr 2, 2022 · Traveled 3 years
写给好朋友Jiang
生日快乐我的宝，认识两年啦，还记得第一次和你说话的时候，真高冷呀，但是就想和你聊天，其实我不太善于交际，我觉得我就像罗拉一样，你懂的，完了莫名其妙的就玩在一起了，其实友情这玩意最难得的不是遇见好朋友，而是我们慢慢志同道合，这路上走散了好多人，值得庆幸的是还好身边有你，你一直在我的青春里，一起长大，谢
n7839
Apr 3, 2022 · Traveled 1 month 5 days
写给中考后的杨雨静
希望我们的友情不会因为毕业而感情变淡 mgd
n7881
May 5, 2022 · Traveled 1 month 14 days
致歉
首先，向你道歉，但不对你对象道歉，我骂你菜鸡，是过激了，但你直接骂家人就让我受不了，看我哥和你对象骂，真难受，我们之间的事为何扯到家人，我劝你少和你对象交流，他骂的真伤人，你被他影响没我也不知道，再次向你道歉。
n7883
May 6, 2022 · Traveled 1 day
致歉
首先，向你道歉，但不对你对象道歉，我骂你菜鸡，是过激了，但你直接骂家人就让我受不了，看我哥和你对象骂，真难受，我们之间的事为何扯到家人，我劝你少和你对象交流，他骂的真伤人，你被他影响没我也不知道，再次向你道歉
n7884
May 6, 2022 · Traveled 1 day
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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