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Mail A Little Love & Cheer

ebarrows • Apr 16, 2020

Growing up, I loved getting mail. I still do – as long as it’s not a bill! I was a prolific pen pal with writing contacts in other states and even other countries. Sometimes it was difficult to come up with something to say in my letters to someone who hardly knew me. It was good training for becoming a professional writer because I had to fill the page with something. I’d pick out a slice of my life that was amusing in some way, get it down on cotton candy-colored Lisa Frank stationary, seal the envelope with a few stickers and clip the letter to the mailbox. I can’t say for sure that my pen pals cared about what I shared, but they wrote back. The drive behind all this effort was getting a letter in return.

"The surprise of something coming in the mail intended just for you is a joyful experience."

Receiving mail is magical. Think about what has to happen for that letter, card, or postcard to get into your hands. The paper, the pens, the stickers (yes, must have stickers), choice of stamp, to include glitter or a recent photo? When the letter is out of the sender’s hands, it goes through the postal service, onto a truck, an airplane, it gets sorted and brought around to the recipient’s mailbox.

Then you wait.

Wait for a response.

And one day, when you’ve started to think about other things, a pink envelope peeks out from the day’s stack of ads and bills.

The surprise of something coming in the mail intended just for you is a joyful experience. Savor the moment. Don’t open your letter or card along with all the junk mail. Wait for a moment when you can sit down and really take in the correspondence. Sometimes the design of a card is so special, or the message inside so touching, I find myself holding onto it for years. If simply sending a card, note or letter in the mail could be this cherished by the receiver, why aren’t we sending more cards?

Over the years, I’ve collected a variety of blank cards for their designs. I have quite a few with chickens on them! Because I love to receive mail so much, I realize others must take a similar delight in it, so I am diving into my collection to send out cheer to my friends and family. I think this is a good time to disseminate my stash and spread the joy of receiving mail.

I encourage you to send good wishes to your loved ones through the mail and put a smile on their face!

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