out & about // pen-pals

Have you ever had the pleasure of having a pen-pal? 

When I was young, my mother was my teacher & my brothers were my classmates. I was home-schooled for most of my adolescent life, & grew up in a very small town (according to Wikipedia, my hometown holds a current population of 297). The combination of schooling at home & living in the country meant I had little in-town friends. What I lacked in friendships I made up for with pen-pals. Sometimes just one pen-pal at a time, sometimes as many as four or five. We exchanged letters, stickers, drawings, & pictures. Keep in mind this was the era of gel pens & Lisa Frank, so our corresponding was anything but bland. A few of these snail mail exchanges only lasted a letter or two, but many of them corresponded with me for years. 

There's something about writing a letter to a friend that is different than any other form of communication. There's the absence of an instant reply, like with an e-mail or text. Time can be taken in forming words, writing sentences, & conveying thoughts, unlike a phone call. For the more socially anxious, it's the most relaxing form of communication. 

Recently one of my in-town friends moved away to focus on bigger & better things. We thought we'd take the opportunity to become pen-pals. Which I'm just charmed by - who doesn't love getting a personal letter in the mail? Plus it gives me an excuse to send her silly cards, like this one I made today. 

Even if you're a little bit on the socially anxious side, like myself, communication is a major key to well-being. Staying in touch with those who are important to you enriches not only your life, but the lives of others you maintain relationships with. 

Happy letter-writing!

xoxo, 

-m.e.


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