You've Got Mail

When I was 14, I went to summer camp.  This was no 'across town, go home every evening' summer camp.  This was '4 states away, island in the middle of a lake, stuck there away from home no matter what' summer camp.  And I was terrified.  My personality is one that is very uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations, and although that's something I'm trying to work on, I was very aware of it as I stepped off the boat onto that island!  I found my cabin, staked claim on a bunk, and wondered what to do next.  There were no counselors in my cabin, and I didn't see any other campers.  However, one saw me.  She introduced herself and suggested a plan for 'what to do next'.  It sounded reasonable, so I went with her.  And from that moment, for the rest of the week at camp we were inseparable.

By the end of the week, we were the best of friends, and exchanged addresses.  She lived 5 or 6 states away from me, so our friendship was limited to the occasional phone call, and letters.  Oh, how we mastered the art of letter-writing.  Two, three, four...sometimes five or six letters a week flew up and down the coast from her house to mine and back.  We even started being creative, to keep each other entertained.  Long, long lengths of letters on toilet paper, written with magic marker.  Huge poster-sized letters written on poster paper, rolled into a tube.  Letters written on blown-up balloons which were then deflated to put into an envelope.  If you could fit it into a letter-sized envelope, we sent it through the US Postal Service.

We ended up the very best of friends, and we are still friends to this day....still 5 or 6 states away, still keeping in touch by letter or phone, but still the best of friends.

I realized, today, that aside from the occasional 'thank you' for a gift, or for a special thoughtfulness, I don't write letters anymore....and I don't receive them, either.  Paper, envelopes and stamps have given way to email, messaging, and texts.  And I suppose some people would say that's kind of sad.

But my everyday joy today is letters.  Because three times today, I have gotten a message from someone far away...a friend 45 minutes across town, wanting to get together for lunch and shopping.  My sister, who is 2 hours away saying hello, and making my day with a very nice compliment.  A dear friend who lives half way around the world, but who makes me smile and feel loved everytime I hear from her, just by her sweet way.
They may not be the paper letters I exchanged for so many years, but they certainly mean no less to me. In fact, maybe the fact that they can be sent instantly makes them better?  I know right now, whenever I get a message or text that somebody, somewhere is thinking about me and wishing me a good day.  That is truly something to be joyful about.