real mail

today in the mail, i only received one piece of junk and three pieces that were actually addressed by a real live person specifically to us.

in high school, i had a collection of pen pals. it was during this time that i learned that the only way to actually keep up a written correspondence was to write back to the person immediately after reading their letter. if i waited, then… it got put off, and put off… and put… off……… granted, these letters didn’t have tons of content (what we’d done that day, our favorite movies, trivial messages written in secret code, etc.) but it was the thrill of receiving an envelope (often colored or bestickered or scented… or some combination of the above) with my name written on it that made me smile.

does anyone write letters anymore? other than thank you notes and cards at christmas and birthdays? don’t get me wrong, i’m not a big letter writer myself anymore either (e-mail is so much faster and easier!) but i think we’re really missing out on something if every trip to the mailbox is just to receive evidence of our commercial society (bills, flyers, catalogues, occasional respite in a magazine–sorta…). it almost makes me want to start a chain letter just to get mail. but those would probably be even less fun to read than the pizza hut coupons. hey, how about a circulating notebook that we fill with poems and artwork and whatever we want to add? the only requirement is that you have to add something the same day that you open it (in other words, if you don’t have time to respond that day, then you have to wait to open it!) and then send it on to the next person. minimum contribution will be one word or a picture no smaller than 1/2 inch square. no maximum contribution. everyone has time for that much! and no fair passing it off in person even if you live nearby–the thrill is the mailbox discovery! i wonder if we could send it “book rate”? anyone interested?