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Yes, you can write a letter to someone who is no longer with us. When we say “it’s never too late to say thank you,” we mean it. While it’s not possible to have a conversation with the person you’re writing to in this case, we might invite you to talk with us about that person in the recording studio, and maybe bring a family member or someone else into the conversation.
The podcast is recorded on the campus of Goshen College, in the Huddle Room studio at the Center for Communication Studies, just down the hall from 91.1 FM the Globe, which has been named “Best College Radio Station in the Nation” six times.
And you don’t have to be in Goshen to take part. We also offer professional remote recording, so wherever you are, we can capture a real, warm conversation with the sound quality to match.
All letters must be grounded in the real world, built on facts and based on a verifiable relationship that you had with another person. That said, we know that our memories are imperfect. We just ask you to acknowledge when you’re not sure of your recollection. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to use qualifiers as simple as “I believe” or “as far as I remember.”
One more thing, in the same spirit. We know it can be tempting to let AI write the letter for you. But we hope you’ll remember: the person receiving it isn’t waiting for perfect phrasing. They want to hear from you. What you actually think and feel, in words that are actually yours.
We’re not going to ban AI or make this harder than it needs to be. But we really do hope you’ll try writing it on your own.
That said, if you’d like AI to proofread what you’ve written, we have no problem with that. The words just need to be yours in the first place.
Yes. You’re welcome to download, post, and use our episodes in any non-commercial setting, as long as you credit the show. We’d love for you to share them and talk about them with anyone you think might have an interest.
The Gratitude Letters is funded by Lilly Endowment and is part of More Than Just Stories at Goshen College. That support doesn’t determine which letters we publish or whom we invite on to the show. An independent review panel at The Gratitude Letters will select letters to record based on the depth of the relationship and detail of the writing, among other factors.