A Story Of Timeless Love: Love Letters On A Train

This is a Calming Sleepy Story, written and narrated by me. Tonight, we’ll travel back in time to the quiet English countryside in the late 19th century, to follow the tender and evolving bond between two kindred spirits, Clara and James. We'll settle into the plush seats of a vintage train, pass misty fields and sleepy villages, and listen to the echoes of heartfelt letters that span years and miles…

Narration and Sound Design by Stephen Dalton

Transcript

Hello,

My friend.

Welcome to your sleep story.

My name is Stephen Dalton.

I'm an Irish storyteller,

And it's my great privilege to be the voice that you listen to as you go to sleep tonight.

Tonight it's a love story,

One that I took great pleasure in writing and narrating.

You will hear the story of Clara and James,

Two young people who meet each other as children in the late 19th century,

And who,

Over many years,

Become pen pals.

It's a story of the power of words,

And of course,

The power of love.

It's one that you might want to hear till the end,

But if you don't get to the end tonight,

You can always pick up where you fell asleep the last time.

Okay,

Let's do the relaxation session now,

Which will take a few minutes,

Before tonight's sleep story.

I'm going to count down from ten to one,

And as I do,

Allow yourself to let go,

More and more.

And feel the support of the bed beneath you,

Or the floor,

Or whatever you lie upon tonight.

And beneath that,

The support of the earth,

Our home.

And as you become aware of those supports beneath you,

See if you can let go a little more now.

Ease into this moment a little more now.

You are safe.

Allow my voice to be an anchor of safety tonight,

To be a friend.

Know that my voice will only ever take you to safe places.

And with that knowledge,

Feel a sense of lightness,

A sense of freedom,

A sense of letting go of the heaviness of the day.

Feel into your body now.

Just notice whatever you notice.

Maybe it's tension.

Maybe it's tingling.

Maybe it's pain.

Maybe you feel it in your feet,

Or in your legs,

Or in your belly,

Or in your face.

And see if you can let go a little more now,

Wherever you feel,

Whatever you feel.

Seven.

Today is done.

Whatever has been,

Has been.

Whatever will be,

Will be.

So whatever thoughts you might be having now,

See if you can just watch them float away,

Like clouds passing in a starlit sky,

Or leaves floating away from you on a moonlit river.

Thoughts are not enemies.

They aren't to be fought,

But they don't serve you now.

So experience them as a part of being human.

But know that you are not them,

And let them go.

Six.

This is your moment.

This is your time.

You deserve this moment.

You deserve to have this time.

Allow that fact to enable you to sink into this moment.

A little bit more now.

A little bit more now.

Five.

Peace lives within you.

It is always there.

It is your constant friend.

See if you can find it tonight.

If you can feel it.

And if you do,

Where do you feel it?

Maybe it's in your head,

Or maybe it's in your heart.

Just know that it is there,

Always waiting to be found.

Always waiting to be felt.

Four.

Perhaps allow a little gratitude now.

Gratitude for the simple things.

Gratitude for the shelter you have tonight.

Gratitude for those you love.

For your body.

For your breath.

Three.

Begin to engage with your imagination now.

Begin to see the world as it was more than a hundred years ago.

Begin to see an old steam train and an elegant young woman sitting in a carriage looking out at the countryside drifting by.

Begin to see a world far away from all that you know.

Two.

Checking in with your body one more time now.

Releasing any tension one more time now.

It has worked hard for you today.

It deserves rest.

And one.

Completely letting go now.

As I tell you tonight's sleep story.

She sits almost regally aboard the sumptuous steam train.

The year is 1896 and it has been 15 years since she first met him when she was but a child.

The day she met him was a day like any other that one might have as a young child being from a grand family in the 19th century.

Her parents had been visiting his parents at their estate and they had run through the woods together ridden the little Shetland ponies and enjoyed their time.

But as fate would have it they were not to see each other again at least for a very,

Very long time.

But a connection was made that day.

Something deep something almost spiritual and it was only a matter of time before the first letter was sent by her to him.

Their parents had seen it as something cute and something interesting that she had expressed an interest in writing to him.

The first letter was written in a careful child-like hand with slightly uneven lines and smudged ink where her small fingers had pressed a bit too hard.

Dear James I hope you remember me.

I am the girl you played with when your mama and papa had us over.

I liked your ponies very much and you said I could ride them again one day.

I am writing to tell you that I liked meeting you and I hope we can meet again soon.

Please write back if you can as it would make me very happy to have a friend who lives far away.

Sincerely,

Clara Clara's first letter had been one of innocence driven by the novelty of having a friend from a distant estate a friend who shared her delight in the simple joys of childhood.

It had been sent with little expectation,

Really just a young girl's impulse to reach out across the miles but she could not have known then how significant that small gesture would become how each letter thereafter would stitch a growing bond across time and distance.

Now as she sat aboard the plush train carriage with its rich burgundy seats and polished wood panels she looked out at the mist-covered landscape rolling past the windows.

She could feel the gentle sway of the train as it glided along the tracks the rhythmic clutter providing a steady soothing soundtrack to her thoughts.

She took some deep breaths in this moment She was no longer the little girl who would run through the woods carefree and curious.

She had grown into a young woman her face composed and calm though there was a hint of nervousness in the way her gloved hands rested on her lap.

The years had passed and the letters had continued taking on new shapes and tones as she and James had grown older.

Her eyes fell closed and for a moment she remembered James's first letter to her Dear Clara I do remember you I remember the ponies too and I remember you laughed when we ran through the woods because you said I could not catch you I think I would have if you had not climbed that tree I told my father about your letter and he said I should write you back so here I am it is strange to think of you far away but I like the idea of having a friend across the hills and rivers perhaps you can tell me about where you live your friend James The words of the letter were as clear to her now as they were on the day she received them She looked out from the train carriage across the misty countryside It was late morning and a pale sunlight filtered through the fog casting the world in soft greys and greens Outside the window fields and hedgerows slipped past The landscape was dotted with farmhouses and grazing sheep all half hidden in the mist as though part of some dreamlike painting Inside the carriage the calmness was almost absolute There was a steady hum of movement beneath her feet as the train glided over the rails and as she settled deeper into the plush seat the memory of that first letter lingered the childish innocence of it filling her with a quiet warmth It was hard to believe that so much time had passed that those words written with such youthful sincerity had grown into something more profound Another memory surfaced and with it another letter This one from when they were a little older Dear Clara I think your mother may be mistaken about me being a polite young gentleman but it is kind of you not to correct her Russet the pony is well he is growing older and does not run as fast as he used to I still take him out on rides and sometimes I talk to him as though he were a person I tell him about the letters you send and the things you say He looks at me with his big brown eyes and I like to think he understands I was very interested in what you said about the old trees There is a grove near our house where the trees seem to lean toward each other as if sharing secrets Sometimes I go there when I want to think I wish you could see it I think you would like it very much I have often wondered what you look like now I remember you were very good at climbing and I imagine you still are Your friend James The train now passed through a small village Its station only a blur of brick and greenery The countryside seemed to stretch endlessly now A patchwork of fields and hills The pale blue sky peeking through the lingering mist The steady rocking of the train The muted clutter on the tracks were like a gentle lullaby guiding her thoughts from one memory to the next The letters continued Month after month Season after season Year after year And as the years went by they grew longer and more thoughtful As Clara and James shared more of themselves The questions of youth and dreams for the future beginning to manifest on the pages Each letter became a window into their lives Dear James You asked if I ever feel the way you described about looking forward to the letters and finding comfort in knowing you were there I do more than I can say There is something special about reading your words Knowing that you've taken the time to sit and put your thoughts down on paper for me It makes me feel as though I am not so far away from you after all I've thought about what you said regarding your future I understand,

I think the difficulty of having the path set before you My parents too speak often of what is expected of me But sometimes I wish I could choose something entirely different I don't know exactly what that would be but I think it might involve something with words I've always liked writing,

As you know but not just letters I mean writing stories or perhaps even poems There is a feeling I get when I find just the right way to describe something as though I have given a little piece of life to the page Do you ever feel that way about anything?

I hope that wherever your thoughts drift to they lead you somewhere that brings you joy Yours always Clara Clara shifted in her seat her fingers tracing the edge of her bonnet as she thought of James' reply to that letter written with a surprising depth of feeling for someone so young Dear Clara I know exactly what you mean about words I feel the same way though perhaps not with writing but with the land When I walk through the grove or out into the fields there is a sense of being part of something much larger It is difficult to describe but I find that the world seems somehow clearer when I am outside like the air is lighter and my thoughts are less tangled I suppose that is why I sometimes think about becoming a naturalist or a botanist though I doubt my father would approve He would rather I speak of numbers and ledgers than flowers and birds But you understand,

Don't you?

I am inspired by the idea that there are still places in this world that are untamed that hold secrets we have not yet uncovered I think I could be happy spending my days learning about them but I know that may not be possible Still when I read your letters it makes me believe if only for a little while that I might have the courage to choose a different path Yours faithfully James Their letters had become much more than words on a page They were the heartbeats of their youth Their hopes and fears laid bare It was through these letters that Clara came to know James Not just as a friend from childhood but as a kindred spirit a young man with dreams and doubts much like her own Dear James There is something I have been reluctant to share but I feel that I must as you have always been open with me The truth is I do not feel entirely at home in the life that has been laid out for me My parents are kind of course and they have given me a good education and many comforts but I find myself yearning for something beyond the walls of our estate I want to see more of the world to travel and experience life in all its colours even the ones that are not so bright I do not know if it is foolish of me to feel this way Sometimes when I speak of it my mother simply laughs and says it is a phase I shall grow out of but I do not think it is There is a part of me that longs for freedom for the chance to choose my own path even if it is one that others do not understand I do not know why I am telling you this except that there is something in your letters that gives me hope You speak of the untamed places of learning about the world's secrets and I think that is what I want too even if I do not yet know how to find it Yours truly,

Clara The train procked gently as it rounded a curve and Clara could feel her heart beating a little faster as she remembered the letter James had sent in reply It had been one of the first letters where she truly felt the depth of his understanding and the sincerity of his words Dear Clara I understand more than you know There is a restlessness in me as well a desire to break free of the expectations that seem to press down from all sides I do not think it is foolish at all In fact I think it is brave to acknowledge it even if others do not I often think that perhaps we are meant for more than just the paths that are set before us that there is a kind of calling in all of us that goes beyond the ordinary You speak of freedom and I think that is what we both seek in our own ways I do not know where our lives will lead us but I find comfort in knowing that there is someone else who understands who is not afraid to dream of something different I believe that one day we will find our way even if it is not the way we expected Yours always James Clara then reflects as she looks out the window on how the letters began to change and how the words took on a new intensity over time the familiar comfort of their correspondence became a lifeline as they both confided in each other things they could not say aloud to anyone else Dear James I must admit to you that I am not happy my parents have begun to speak in earnest about a marriage arrangement with a young man I scarcely know his family is well regarded and well off and my parents are delighted with the prospect but James I do not know him he has called on us several times though he is perfectly polite and agreeable I cannot bring myself to feel anything more than a cordial indifference towards him the thought of marrying him fills me with dread and I find myself looking for excuses to be absent when he is near I do not know what to do it feels as though the walls are closing in and I fear there will be no escape do you know of such feelings?

Have you ever found yourself faced with a path you do not wish to walk but which seems inevitable yours,

Clara Clara had written that letter late at night after another strained dinner with her parents and the man who was to be her husband she had sent it with trembling hands hardly daring to hope for an answer that could bring any relief but James had replied quickly and his words were filled with a similar unrest dear Clara I understand all too well what you speak of I have kept it from you until now but my parents have also arranged for me to marry a young woman from a respected family I have met her once and though she is fair and kind I do not love her how could I when my heart is drawn elsewhere I am meant to court her properly over the coming months and our families are already speaking as though the matter is settled but I feel as though I am being led toward a future that does not belong to me Clara I must confess it is your letters that sustain me during this time it is in your words that I find solace and a sense of possibility even in the darkest moments I know not what to do but I cannot resign myself to a life I do not choose I feel as though my only chance for happiness lies far from here and that my heart is already spoken for yours in uncertainty James for a time their letters were filled with a desperate kind of hope as they began to speak not only of their feelings but of their plans of how they might escape the futures that had been arranged for them it was in one of Clara's next letters that the plan took shape her words trembling with a mixture of fear and excitement dear James I can scarcely write these words for I know what I am about to propose is drastic but I can see no other way my parents are becoming more insistent about the marriage and I fear that if I do not act now I will lose all choice in the matter I must leave I am planning to run away from home there is a train that departs from a small station not far from our estate in three days time heading towards the coast if I board that train I can reach the port town where we had once spoken of meeting I shall be alone and if you could find a way to meet me there at the station we could depart together for India by boat no longer bound by the plans our families have made for us there is a ship leaving for India shortly after and I have made enquiries about purchasing passage it is all arranged as long as we both arrive on time James if there is any chance that you can make it if you are willing to leave everything behind then please be there I shall wait for you on the platform when my train arrives yours with all my heart Clara sending that letter had felt like taking a breath Clara had packed a small bag in secret and prepared herself to leave knowing that this was a step from which there would be no return her parents believed she was in her room and she had to leave in the dark of night when the household was still when James's response arrived it came with a quiet determination that echoed her own dear Clara I will be there I have already made arrangements to leave under the cover of night my parents will think I am visiting a distant relative but in truth I will make my way to the same station and we shall meet there we will leave this life behind us with all its expectations and constraints the ship's captain is ready to receive us and once we board there will be no turning back I do not know what awaits us in India but I would rather face an uncertain future with you than a certain one without you Clara you have given me the courage to take this step and I promise you I will not let you down I will be waiting on that platform when your train arrives ready to begin this new chapter with you yours always James the letters had been a lifeline but now they were also a pact there was no going back to the lives they had known there was only the promise of freedom of a future they could shape together as the train carried Clara through the quiet countryside the trees and fields blurred by outside the window their shapes dissolving now into the dusk the rhythmic clatter of the wheels was the only sound the train slowed the platform coming into view the little station was quiet and empty save for a single figure standing in the shadows near the end of the platform Clara's breath caught as she recognized him immediately even from a distance and with all those years that had passed there was James standing there with his small bag in hand his face turned toward the approaching train the engine hissed as it came to a stop and the door of her carriage opened Clara stepped down onto the platform of the seaside railway station she took a few steps forward and as she did James stepped out of the shadows his eyes meeting hers they stood there for a moment just looking at one another as though the whole world had fallen away leaving only the two of them neither of them spoke there was no need in his eyes Clara saw the same love hope and courage she had felt in her own heart it was a love that had been written across years of letters a hope that had carried them through and the courage that had brought them to this very moment and in her gaze James would see the same the deep affection and trust that had grown between them binding them to one another even before they had spoken a single word in person it was all there in the way they looked at each other they both knew that this was just the beginning the train began to pull out of the station and as the steam rose up around them Clara and James stepped closer ready to take the next step into the unknown together

Reviews

Magical. So grateful!! Peace & blessings.💙🙏

It worked so well that I had to listen to the story awake just so I could hear the ending.

Hello Stephen, that was so beautiful please can we have PART 2…… A continuous romance as they head to India…. A wedding….. we could even have PART 3….. this is amazing thank you 🙏🏻🌹❤️

Dear Stephen, Of all your stories, this is my favorite one yet. Usually I fall asleep part way through and it takes a few nights before I make it to the end. With this one, I was so engrossed that I listened all the way through . It is very beautifully written. Bravo! Your friend,
Mary