Singer-songwriter Alex Woodard's "For the Sender" is a brief but inspiring read. Woodard first talks about losing his beloved Labrador, Kona, during a time when he is struggling to find his voice as a composer. He then gets an idea: he will write a song for anyone who sends him a letter.Thus come four letters that inspire him not only to write new music but also, through a variety of circumstances, allow him to meet the group of folks who eventually comprise the Naysayers, Woodard's folk-rock group, who record the songs he writes. The twelve songs on the CD are inspired by the stories in the letters. Each piece is different, ranging from a gentle folk song to a rock piece; the book includes the lyrics for each one.The stories of strength and kindness, both in the letters and in Woodard's new-found group of friends, were moving and inspirational. I sometimes found myself setting the book aside to meditate on/contemplate what I had just read so that I could absorb the wisdom in it.This is a beautiful book, highly recommended for those who are on a spiritual journey.
