The Written Word

Back in March I had a post in which I talked about receiving a REAL letter in the mail! You can see that post here.

It not only made my day, but made my week, and heck, even made my MONTH, because very few of us receive real live hand written letters in the mail. It made me feel so good that I vowed I would start doing the same thing.

Alas, I haven't gotten around to it yet. (I know, I need to quit making excuses and just DO IT!)

However...almost two weeks ago I sent a "thinking of you" card to a gentleman who was our neighbor when we lived at our old house. I wrote a note inside, because I wanted him to know how much we liked him and his family, and we were aware that he was going through some pretty serious health issues. I also wanted him to know that we were thinking about him and praying for him.

This gentleman passed away a few days ago, and we went to the funeral home this afternoon. His wife and his daughters told us how much that card meant to him. Apparently they also told my parents the same thing when they were there right before we were, so it must have really meant something to him to receive that in the mail.

It took me 5-10 minutes to write inside of that card, address it, and stamp it. And it brought some pleasure to a suffering man. I'm so glad that I did it.

How many times have we just "not gotten around to it" when we know we should?

I'm EXTREMELY guilty of that! In fact, I absolutely HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO send an email to the person who sent me the letter back in March! She has since sent me a very long email (that I laughed, then cried over) and a card with a letter inside. She is so good about things like that. I'd send her something via snail mail, but an email will arrive so much sooner!

I'm the absolute QUEEN of PROCRASTINATION!! I need to be dethroned!

An Actual LETTER

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail? I mean a real, personalized, only written to you, and by hand LETTER? Well...I got one last week!

Terre, a frequent reader of this space, sent me a card with a letter written in it last week. When I got the mail, I saw an actual hand-written envelope and was so excited to see that it was FOR ME!

I didn't want to open it until I was completely comfortable and relaxed, so I could savor each and every second of reading it slowly. I walked into the house, put my purse, lunch bag, and school bag down in their proper places, laid the mail on the counter, then hung up my coat. I glanced through the rest of the mail, then put it in the basket that we keep incoming mail in (until we put it all where it goes....bills together, magazines together, catalogs together, junk in the trash).

THEN...I took Terre's card/letter into the living room with me, and sat down in the recliner to read it. It was WONDERFUL! A very pretty card, and two sheets of note paper, filled with her handwritten words...and all for ME!

Long ago I came to the conclusion that letter writing is becoming a lost art. With the speed and ease of email, texting, and yes, cell phones, not too many people actually write letters anymore. Me included.

However, that will change. At least that's my plan. Well, at least I'll try to change!

Thank you for your letter Terre...it was a wonderful surprise, and made me feel sooooooo important! I'll be getting back to you really soon! I promise!