Beyond Words

Learn how to translate the love of a parent into letters to be opened on special occasions—making new memories. After ten years of marriage, author Mark Button and his first wife, Ronnie, were eagerly awaiting the birth of triplets when—on Mother's Day—Ronnie died without warning.

Learn how to translate the love of a parent into letters to be opened on special occasions—making new memories. After ten years of marriage, author Mark Button and his first wife, Ronnie, were eagerly awaiting the birth of triplets when—on Mother's Day— Ronnie died without warning.

In time Mark began to build a new life with Diane, whom he met through a mutual friend. The memories of how precious and delicate life can be left them filled with a desire to be there for their first child through her entire life, whether they were alive or not.

So they began to write letters. The first letter was written within hours of their daughter's birth, then sealed, stamped, and mailed to her. On the back of the envelope it simply stated: "To be opened on the day your first child is born." The first part of The Letter Box shares the story of Mark's tragic loss and how it prompted Diane and him to develop this unique gift for their children.

The second part gives readers helpful ideas on how to create their very own Letter Box for anyone they love and cherish. Included in this section is a list of appropriate milestones, with thought-provoking questions for each occasion. It also provides sample letters and tips on how to use Letter Boxes for any relationship—not just parent and child. Letter Boxes can be used with friends, grandchildren, or spouses, or in mentoring relationships.