(This is the black & white version.) When the Reverend Canon Peter Kreitler discovered a stack of neatly preserved letters from his grandfather to his mother, he realized how much the advice they contained had shaped his wonderful mom. The discovery also got him thinking about the letters he had saved since his ordination to the priesthood in 1970. He immersed himself in rereading the letters and reflecting upon the ways that the people who wrote to him had helped to forge his personal and professional paths. Armed with his letters, he set out on a journey of discovery-reliving crucial turning points in his life, finding and reconnecting with old friends, and learning more about himself in the process. At the heart of his new book are his reflections on this compendium of letters charting the many stages of his almost five-decade career as a priest and environmental advocate. His commentaries on each of the letters are brimming with lessons for priests new and veteran and indeed for all of us who comprise what he calls "the priesthood of all believers." We hear the guidance of family and friends who mentored Kreitler-a life-long learner- throughout his life; we read about the relationships and points of intersection that Kreitler forged with parishioners old and young as well as with celebrities and politicians; we shake our heads and laugh with some of the correspondents and ache with empathy for others. And Kreitler doesn't shy away from sharing the criticism he received either, since the messages in those negative letters influenced him also. His one regret regarding the critical letters seems to be that he was unable to engage with an angered correspondent who left no name or contact information. Kreitler's book highlights the foundational themes of his extraordinary life: his commitment to being a "pastor first" who serves his community with creativity, acceptance, and dependable, caring presence; his prophetic call to save our fragile island home; the imperative of mutual respect and tolerance of all people, regardless of political viewpoint, faith, or culture; and the lessons we can learn from people of all ages, especially the youngest among us. Dear Father Peter is at once an unflinching and authentic autobiography, a tribute to those who shape and mold us, and a testimony to the simple but supremely powerful gift of being present for others.Dear Father Peter encourages us to resurrect the art and discipline of letter writing; we would do well to heed his timeless counsel.