I Love My Mail
Just as video killed the radio star, email zapped the hand written letter. I’m guilty of jumping the paper correspondence ship.
Emails are easier, cheaper, and a whole lot faster. Then there is the text message: short, instant, and to the point. Living in the boonies, cell service is poor to fair, at best. We do have the Internet, even though it’s not truly high-speed (compared to DSL or cable). Somewhere along my journey, I’ve rediscovered my love of the U.S.P.S. Best known now as ‘snail mail’. I use to be the letter-writing, card-buying, queen. I’m rediscovering my love, of the letter.
There must be millions of people all over the world who never get any love letters… I could be their leader.
Charlie Brown
I must have 100’s of emails from Lance when we first got together. What a great way to get to know each other. Plus, if I’d forgotten what he or I said, I’d just search past emails for the answer. Now, we are with each other all the time. No need for emails. I joke, that when I’m rocking on the porch at a ripe old age of 82, how will I remember what our early days of marriage were like. Lately, Lance has been busy scanning old photos, cards and letters from his past. I envy the organization of his memoirs. I appreciate that he lets me read the correspondence once he’s finished scanning them into the computer. I appreciate more, that he lets me burn them ;-).
We are lucky enough to have Facebook and Gmail to keep up with our loved ones. I’ve never been much of a phone person. I sure don’t miss the ringing of the phone. It can be such an invasion of ones’ thoughts (and time). I still enjoy emails, but I REALLY enjoy getting a letter in the mail. Lately, I’ve had such fun writing letters to kids. I use to love getting a letter in the mail when I was younger. Little kids don’t have email, so I can wow them with my tales of the great north-west! Some of them even write me back. How fun is that!?!
Before moving here, I was annoyed by all the junk mail I would receive. I took to mailing it back to the sender. Credit card companies would often include a self-addressed stamped envelope (S.A.S.E.) to reply to their offer. I’d cram all the paper they sent me back into the S.A.S.E. This would alleviate the amount of trash we accumulated and hopefully annoy them, as much as they annoyed me. Now, junk mail comes in handy for fire starting.
You’ve heard me talk about how much I enjoy my trek to the mailbox. It’s one mile away, so that gives me quite the workout, round trip. It really is uphill both ways. Rain, sleet, hail, or snow, I make the trip. There were 3xs in January that the snow was so deep, Lance and I drove Mr. Dodge Ram to retrieve the mail. The neighbors must think me a loon, walking in 100 degrees, or pouring rain. I find it to be one of my favorite times of the day.
In the last couple months I’ve gotten some great post cards from my sister – some short and sweet cards from my dad, brother, and son (3 of my 4 favorite men on this planet). Sweet notes from my daughter. Cards from nice ladies in Birmingham. FUDGE (need I say more?). I love it when I get letters back from the kids I write. I love that their mothers don’t try to correct their spelling. One very sweet family my daughter babysits for sent me 4 individually stamped letters. The US Postal Service thanks you for your patronage! I got a letter sealed with a kiss and no stamp. Yesterday I got a COOKIE in the mail – no joke! It was a smiley cookie. It made my day, and my lunch (thank you to my mini-me)!
I think I appreciate most people not forgetting me. Thank you for spending 45 cents to let me know you’re thinking of me. I’m thankful for your cards, drawings, newsy letters, and sweet notes. I’m thankful for Netflix, cheap magazines, and anything that comes in a box. I’m anxiously awaiting the dark chocolate M&Ms Lance bought online for our ‘stash’.
Much Love – don’t forget to write….
