Staying in Touch

Staying in touch with everyone you would like to can be hard. When people used to say things like "I am staying in to catch up on my correspondence," that was a legitimate thing. Letters take a lot of time! That doesn't seem to be as common an activity these days. Even now, with all our technological advances, I often feel like I could stay home nearly every night of the week to catch up with friends and family and still not be properly caught up (I am also a very wordy and social person and my friends clearly live fabulously entertaining lives). My connections are the most important thing in the world to me. I want to know everything going on in the lives of the people I care about, and that is a tall order.

Most of my closest friends don't live in the same town as me anymore, which is an incredible challenge, especially since I have been very privileged in the past to have most of my favourite people within a 10km radius (I should note that that is due to my moving away...my bad) and I am used to just popping over for tea or wine when the mood strikes. I am pretty good at the every day texts that update me on weekend plans and recent life events (which I think are important too), but I would like to improve on getting to the really meaningful topics. I want opinions, dreams, struggles, knowledge, and anecdotes, both mundane and provocative.

So, I am re-committing to re-connecting. My medium of choice will be real letters, cards, anything I can write on and mail. I have had a lovely set of gold flecked, cream coloured stationary sitting in my desk drawer for years waiting to fulfill it's literary destiny. I hope to ink it's heavy pages with stories, advice, poetry, questions, and maybe even a few secrets. I think it is a very personal and thoughtful way to communicate with someone. I also like the idea that the letters may live on, and be found in a box of memories years from now, by someone's children or grandchildren, and they will be like a little snapshot of who I am and what the world is like today. Like a tiny time capsule.

I hope to write at least one letter a week, as I feel that is a realistic goal for me for now. I have a few recipients in mind so far, but I am always looking for more pen pals. If you miss me, feel like it's been too long since we caught up, or you just like receiving mail that isn't bills or fast food coupons, send me your address and I will send you a letter. You can pick a topic too if you like. Or, send me one and I will respond. I think it will be great fun. Join me.