Voices From the Past; Advice Found in an Old Family Letter

When I was visiting my older sister a few weeks ago we decided to go through a box of old photos and papers that had been in her attic for a few decades, and found a letter to her from our Mother written a few months after my sister had moved away from home on the west coast to a state on the south east coast.  One sentence was so good I am posting the advice paragraph. I typed as she had written, with the dashes. Her letters read the way she spoke.  I did underline the advice item I now find to be a very useful reminder.

. . .I bet you  have come up against more, new, different and strange ways of looking at life then you can shake a stick at- -some will be right, some will be part right - -and some no matter how well expressed or attractively dressed will still be dead wrong, no matter how fervently believed and ably defended- -The cults of don't stick out your neck--what's in it for me- -and just getting by- -are all very attractive and each has some virtue if not carried too far- -the difference between an eager beaver and acceptable enthusiasm is slight but very important- -and worth thinking about- -all of these different ideas need a "Place in the Sun"  along with the genuine effort that it takes to get up any hill, as long as you lived in the mountains, you know it is easier to slide down than to climb up."  Happy scrambling

The letter continued with family and extended family news and finished with some comments about a recent experience with our small town police by one of my brothers and his two best friends.  They were about 12 years old at the time, as were a several other boys in our very typical suburban housing track. They didn't stay out of mischief for long. This brother, Jack,  did go out of state to live with one of the Aunties' family for a year.

 the letter had continued--

. . . you know- -Jack seems to have settled down some- -one day as Jack and Dymo went up the street with Bud Sharp they were picked up by the police and given a thorough questioning and I guess were quite shook up- -as were the Folks; it proved to be a mistake, but it seems to have calmed all of the kids down somewhat- -Cop baiting can be a dangerous pass time.

Do parents still write letters like this?  Remember how we hated all that advice! Is this still done, is a child who is getting into too much mischief sent to a trusted sister for a change in environment and friends.