I just wrote…to say, ‘I love you.’

“To find out your real opinion of someone, judge the impression you have when you first see a letter from them.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

Whenever I get mail from my brother I know it’s going to be a good day. He has the delightful habit of surprising me with random letters or packages just because he was thinking of me. Receiving this kind of mail makes an ordinary day feel like a holiday – it gives me something to celebrate outside of the mundane routine. The past two months I’ve been part of the US population downsized and looking for work. These days bills cause a sharp pang in my heart, and I constantly keep hoping that I won’t get a rejection letter in the mail from that job I really want. It’s incredible how mail can impart such highs and lows in our emotions.

There are mass amounts of people complaining about the junk mail and bills they constantly receive. It’s rare to hear someone say they got a letter, card or gift in the mail, “just because”, but it sure makes them feel special when it happens! Why did we stop writing letters to people we love? Technology has replaced a lot of the need to write the ordinary messages and is certainly more efficient; however, wouldn’t you rather receive a love letter or a thank you note in a tangible format? Nearly gone are the days when people sent postcards from exotic vacation sites saying ‘Wish you were here’. Did you ever have a pen-pal when you were a kid? I vaguely remember having one and found her to be fascinating as she told me all about her life in another city. There are websites out there that still connect pen-pals modern day. Compassion International strongly encourages that sponsors keep correspondence with the child they are sponsoring; it’s amazing to hear what little things really make the day of someone in a third world country and how much they yearn to know about the life of someone who has a completely different lifestyle.

All this said, I would love to see traditional correspondence restored. We don’t even have to spend a lot of money to pursue sending heart felt messages – hand made cards, letters and gifts are often the most endearing! The best birthday card I ever received as a kid was from my neighbor across the street. She was an artist of sorts and decorated the entire envelope with hand drawn cartoons that reflected my personal interests. Every year I really looked forward to getting that birthday card! Perhaps in a pay-it-forward fashion, I’ll begin writing letters again. It’s worth some spare change to put a smile on someone’s face and make their day!

Your turn! What makes you happy in your mailbox?

Every day on Twitter I will be posting my my mailbox findings at InTheMail. I’d love it if you would also share with me your mail some funny/heartwarming stories about mail you’ve received during your life. At some point here maybe I’ll reflect on some of the cool things I’ve received. If you’re not on Twitter, feel free to post a comment here, or email me at: WhatsInTheMail

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