I wrote several notes to people a couple weekends ago. Most were simply to touch base and send encouragement. Two took additional time and thought, so I set them aside. After writing and addressing them, I put them in my car with a package with the intention of taking them to the post office on my lunch break. Which I did. What I didn’t expect was to get inside and place the items on the counter and realize half of one address was gone.

I could see the indentions on the paper but not clearly enough to trace. It wasn’t an address I readily knew, but I solved the problem and got it mailed. But it perplexed me. What kind of disappearing ink had I used? Then I remembered using a pen that is erasable for my smart notebook. I like the way it slides on paper. It usually doesn’t disappear, but I suppose the way I held it or placed it in the sun, or perhaps something else it came in contact with, evaporated or rubbed it. 

There are some things we write that perhaps we don’t want set in stone. There are other things we want in indelible ink. It’s important to know the difference. It’s important to know the permanency of what we’re writing. It’s equally as important to know the permanency of what we’re reading. Keep it in the context of long-term viability. What is firm, and what isn’t? What is changeable, and what isn’t? What do we want to be permanent that isn’t, and likewise with what we prefer to be temporary? We often don’t get to decide. And sometimes, we can’t know for sure. But if we’re wise, we’ll at least consider it. Otherwise, we’ll be inflexible and be humbled as we learn we can’t hold everything we want in our hands.