The discovery of a personal letter of C. S. Lewis is getting some attention. It was found inside a secondhand
book. In the letter, Lewis opines
on the subject of joy.
What
I find most surprising about this news is that it is expected that the letter
will fetch well over a thousand pounds at auction. Why my surprise?
There are a great many letters extant from C. S. Lewis, many of which
are published (and which I must start reading someday for their insights and
his masterful counsel). He was a prolific letter writer indeed.
As
documented by Lyle Dorsett’s Seeking the
Secret Place, Lewis committed himself to answering virtually all incoming
mail. He felt it an important
calling, and with all the mail he received, it was a laborious and often taxing
one. And these were not
perfunctory letters that he wrote, at least not for the most part. With some, he regularly gave counsel to
help people through their troubles.
Having
wrestled with studies at Oxford, I cannot imagine how he could have fulfilled
all his academic and other duties and then thoughtfully answer mail as he
did. The man surely had more
endurance than I do.
Not
just the recipients, but us today as well are blessed with his labor and wisdom
in so generously fulfilling what he as saw as his Christian calling to answer
mail.
And,
really, one cannot put a price on that.
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