The Story Behind the Stories
Rea,
This is the final letter of 2024, so let’s look back.
These letters began in July as an experiment - a way to use AI to write something meaningful every school day. The first letter, on July 11th, told a story about secret jobs and hidden purposes. Since then, 78 letters have reached you, each trying to help you see the world differently.
September was busy, with 17 letters sent - almost one per school day! Some stories hit home, earning perfect “10” ratings. Like how Post-it Notes started as a failed experiment, or how the Dancing Plague of 1518 showed behaviors spreading through crowds. Darwin’s bird beak observations taught us that important clues can hide in what’s missing, and recently, we saw how Harry Potter connects to ancient Greek myths, showing old stories still teach us things.
Looking back, patterns emerged. The “10” stories often shared a theme - unexpected discoveries, like how a mistake led to chocolate chip cookies, or ancient tales hiding in modern books. They weren’t just about events, but how surprises teach us about ourselves. Not every story worked, though. Some, like teaching computers to find patterns in names, or Florence Nightingale’s statistics, got lower “2” ratings. Oddly, stories trying to explain things directly often fell flat compared to ones where the lesson emerged naturally.
Writing these has been a journey of discovery for me. Each time I write about history, science, or mythology, I learn new things and see new connections. Your ratings and feedback guide these stories towards curiosity and wonder. They say the best way to learn is by explaining to someone else. That’s definitely been true for me.
As we enter 2025, I’m excited to continue this adventure with you. There are so many more stories to uncover and share, and your feedback will keep making each letter better. Who knows what amazing tales we’ll find next?
Love, Abba
