The Best Month

This month is National Letter Writing Month -- can you believe it? A whole month dedicated to writing and sending the most beautiful form of communication!? I think it definitely deserves a round of applause and some sincere celebration!

National Letter Writing Month provides even more reason to keep in touch with those around you. Sending mail gives happiness, hope, promotes communication and provides joy for those across the world every time they open their mail box.

Since this month is National Letter Writing Month, I have set myself the goal to send 15 letters. So far, I have sent two and received one. With 25 days to go, I have to send 13 more letters-- I think I've got it under control.
What I aim to achieve with this, even more than usual, is to nurture and create communication with people that aren't my frequent penpals. I will be sending some OOTB (Out Of The Blue) mail this month, and hopefully bringing some OOTB smiles to the faces of my dear acquaintances. I find that letters, while similar to emails yet not the same, provide a voice. When you read the handwriting within the pages of a letter, you can feel the other person speaking. You know that they have taken time out of their day to communicate wholly and fully with you. The scribbles on the page, the dark underlines or goofily lopsided smiley faces belong to a letter addressed to you; and you only. There is an unparalleled beauty in opening a letter and hearing the words as you read them, something that, while deeply appreciated, isn't quite the same in emails.

On that note, today I headed to the local post office again (Bill was behind the counter) to add some stamps to the amount of 15c to a letter I had ready to send to Australia. I had a hand full of pennies, those pesky, bronze, US coins, and managed to buy a fair few stamps. One of my favourite things to do is to mix and match stamps on envelopes to make the piece look even more eclectic. So today, I purchased a collection of 10c, 3c and 1c stamps to round off all of my random international packages. Bill, sweet heart that he is, willingly separated ten 10c stamps, three 3c stamps and one 1c stamp (woah, I didn't even notice that symmetry until just then!) for me from his panes, and didn't act annoyed in the slightest bit. (That's another thing I love about post office employees -- they enthuse others by making things happen! )The little post office where Bill works was simply ridiculously gorgeous today, the sunshine on this little town squeezed its way through the window and illuminated Bill's smile just that little bit more. My P.O. Box was empty (where are my penpals at??) but the joyous transaction between Bill's stamps and my hand made up for it completely!

I enthuse you, reader, as Bill did for me today, to send a little extra mail. The joy that a letter in the mail provides is truly indescribable -- especially when it reminds someone that you are thinking of them. Tell someone that today. "Hey -- I'm thinking of you!"
There is so much happiness to be had, and mail is just one of the many ways to spread a little bit more.

On a side note, I'd like to wish my dear friends Ha and Ra Happy Birthdays respectively, and my dear friend Lex a wonderful trip -- thinking of you all.

Send mail -- send love,
                                 ~ Ms. Always Traveling