Episode Title:
The Hippie Dad Who Never Stopped Writing: How Letters Can Keep Love Alive After Abandonment
Episode Description:
In this deeply personal episode of The Writer's Journey, acclaimed memoirist Laura Davis shares a moving story from her own life about her father—the free-spirited man who left when she was 13 and never came back, but whose handwritten letters sustained their connection across decades and distance. Laura opens her heart to share how her father's quirky, artistic correspondence taught her that love can transcend physical presence. She also reads from a treasured 1975 letter that demonstrates his unconditional acceptance during her years in a guru's ashram—a stark contrast to her mother's reaction. This intimate storytelling offers a window into Laura's life and the power of sustained connection through the written word.
To See the Letters:
You can see incredible examples of Abe Davis’ letters by checking out the written version of the post:
https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/p/e0269b66-f7f6-44a5-b8be-219fb96ad4a4
What Laura Covers in This Episode:
How her father left the family when she was 13 and never returned to New Jersey
The transformative power of her father's first letter, received at summer camp
Why she never felt abandoned despite her father's physical absence
The artistic, quirky nature of her father's handwritten correspondence over decades
How her parents had polar opposite reactions to her choices as a young adult
The contrast between conditional and unconditional parental love
Why she kept every letter her father wrote and cherishes them today
The writing practice prompt: "Tell me about a letter, written, read, sent, or received"
An invitation to join Laura's ongoing writing classes
Episode Highlights:
The 1967 Dodge Dart Departure - Laura describes the moment her father drove her brother to college in Boulder and never came back, marking the beginning of his journey to "find himself" at California's Esalen Institute
The First Letter from Camp - How receiving her father's first handwritten letter at age 14 established the pattern that would sustain their relationship: "he wasn't coming back to New Jersey and that he still loved me"
A Father's Unconditional Acceptance - Laura reads from a 1975 letter her father sent while she lived in a guru's ashram, demonstrating his complete acceptance of her choices even when he didn't share her beliefs—a stark contrast to her mother's threatened deprogramming
The Art of Letter Writing - Laura describes her father's unique correspondence style: left-handed script, hand-drawn illustrations, watercolor decorations, made-up limericks, and even a ten-page illustrated odyssey on quitting smoking
Yellow Construction Paper Epistles - How her father crafted letters on bright yellow construction paper, folded accordion-style, and stuffed into hand-decorated envelopes—each one a creative work of art
Two Parents, Two Responses - Laura reflects on having "two more different parents": the free-spirited father who left versus the mother who stayed, paid bills, and held steady through her daughter's teenage rage
The Turquoise Box Under the Stairs - Laura shares how her father's letters live in a large turquoise plastic box in her office crawl space, and the joy of rereading them after twenty years
Forgiveness and Friendship - How Laura's parents eventually became friends again later in life, a transformation Laura credits to her mother's capacity to forgive
About Host Laura Davis:
Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and memoir writing teacher with over 35 years of experience helping writers craft authentic, powerful personal narratives. Her award-winning memoir The Burning Light of Two Stars won the 2021 BookLife Prize and explores her complex relationship with her mother. She is also co-author of The Courage to Heal, along with six other books on writing and healing.
Laura teaches ongoing weekly writing classes on Zoom, leads international writing retreats at Villa Maria del Mar in Santa Cruz, California, and hosts The Writer's Journey podcast. With decades of experience guiding writers through vulnerable storytelling, Laura has become a leading authority on memoir craft and writing for personal transformation.
Key Takeaways from This Episode:
Letters as lifelines - Consistent, authentic written communication can maintain deep connection even when someone is physically absent or has made painful choices
Love transcends physical presence - Laura's story demonstrates that feeling loved and feeling abandoned are not the same thing—her father left, but she never doubted his love
Unconditional acceptance matters - A parent's ability to accept their child's choices without judgment, even when they disagree, creates lasting emotional security
Keeping what matters - Saving meaningful artifacts like letters provides emotional connection that can be revisited and treasured decades later
Complex relationships deserve space - Laura's honest portrayal of both parents—the one who left and the one who stayed—shows how we can hold complicated truths about the people we love
Episode Call-to-Action
Laura invites listeners to explore the writing prompt from this episode: "Tell me about a letter, written, read, sent, or received." Consider what letters, notes, or correspondence have shaped your life and relationships.
Writers interested in writing their own personal stories in a supportive community can explore Laura's ongoing Wednesday Writing Practice class, which resumes January 7th with a new student special. For those working on book-length manuscripts, Laura's Thursday feedback classes offer expert guidance and peer support (writing sample required, wait list available)
https://lauradavis.net/writing-classes/
The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more.
You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/
Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/
