A Month of Letters

Used to be, times past, that I was a great letter-writer. I'm not sure if the content of my letters was always so great, but I sent mail in the post often. In college I wrote home about once a week. When I was apart from H, we corresponded several times a week. In my files I still have many letters from my friends - college and grad school, mostly.

Then came email and Facebook and Instagram, and… well, that slowed down my written correspondence to a snail's pace. Of course, I get many fewer personal letters in the mailbox, too.

I have blogged about my solution to the budget woes of the USPS here. I started out several years ago writing a thank-you note once a week. That lasted for a few months, I think, before I petered out. I still like to send thank you notes, but it doesn't happen on a regular basis.

Then, at the beginning of February, I noticed on Instagram that a friend of mine was participating in A Month of Letters. Interest piqued, I looked it up here. The challenge: mail one thing each day the post office is in business (23 days - minus Sundays and one Monday holiday). It could be a letter, a postcard, a swatch of fabric, or anything.

That, of course, is right up my alley, so I started. Even though I didn't get on board until Feb. 2, I decided that the 6 thank yous I had sent the week before would count.

It was an interesting month. Some days I knew exactly what to send. Some days I floundered around, looking for an excuse. Here are the numbers:

4 actual letters (3 to people who used to be regular correspondents, 1 to someone I have not contacted in about 20 years who is now a Facebook friend)

3 Thank Yous

3 Photos (one with an actual letter)

3 Valentines

3 Birthday Cards

2 Condolence Notes

1 Newspaper article

1 Poem (I wrote)

1 Short Note

1 Postcard

1 Retirement Card

In return, I received one note from my friend who inspired me on this challenge.

If you did not receive a letter or something from me, and you would like me to write you, let me know! Or, send me a letter, and I will be sure to answer it.

This is the card I sent to my friend, seen after she received it

This is the card that came to me. I saw it here on Instagram first….

This is that same card after it arrived in my mailbox