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.
How to write this letter
- 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
292 public letters写给未来的…
嘿滴多。我是你亲爱的姐姐收到信的时候你已经25了老了我也不年轻了希望现在的我们的感情依旧一样好看到信打个电话给我哟爱你的姐姐
小丑姑娘y
2016.04.13
傻鱼看
小鱼看到这封信还记得你的老大不，还有小薄。。。 哦嘿嘿，哈哈，嘎嘎，小白兔白又白两只门牙露出来，一蹦一跳真可爱。
傻傻鱼
2014.10.09
写给小寿星孙梦聪哦或者是梦言大baka
见字如面愿你拥有一段难忘的岁月，和锦绣的前程。没有别的意思，对你确实没有邪念。祝你生日快乐，祝不要忘记梦想，祝能变得更好。
n6647
2021.02.16
大哥大哥我是你的欧豆豆
你在哪里在做什么 现在八点呦 你下班了么~有男朋友了么~ 我在哪里呢~ 快来给我发个微信~春风十里不如你~ 我最喜欢你~
筱钰钰钰And懒梨梨
2017.03.25
congratulation
亲爱的Portia,祝贺你完成了100天阅读任务，你的阅读水平有很大提高哦！接着坚持读英文原著吧，你一定能做到的！
n3100
2018.04.25
豆子你好
我是李静雯不知道你是否还记得我么么哒 好想你啊 估计这时候你都子孙满堂了吧不知道是否会寄到写信时间2015.2.1
复古热潮_
2015.02.01
写给未来的逗比寨
我真的很喜欢你们一群逗比 觉得以后除了逗比寨就再也融不进任何一个群体了 我们五年后绝对绝对绝对还会在一起逗比！
n747
2015.04.16
写给未来的ada......
Nick~还记得两年前的今天我们认识嘛！两年了哦~友谊要走下去~我现在写信的时间是2.14今天你不在诶。。。
黄怡璠
2015.02.14
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
2020.05.04
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
2017.07.30
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
2020.11.28
写给小狗
嗨新年好呀元宵节快乐呀情人节快乐呀雷锋日快乐呀妇女节快乐呀植树节快乐呀每天快乐呀今天你快乐了吗
鹤鹤酱
2020.03.13
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
Write yours