Introduction to "Mailbox Mondays"

No other type of communication can ever compare to sending/receiving a handwritten letter in the mail.

I began corresponding through "snail mail" at a very young age. I think I was about 6 years old (first grade) when some friends from down the block moved to Missouri. I can't imagine that I was writing at that age (mom did you write letters for me?) but maybe it was shortly after that that we wrote letters back and forth. For years. They moved to Tennessee, and eventually back to Missouri, all the while we exchanged letters. We don't write any longer, but we occasionally update each other through email.

Then, at 12 years old (the summer just after 6th grade) I began corresponding with my pen-pal in Finland. I have a whole collection of letters locked away for safe keeping! As time went on, we began emailing each other, which was nice because of the length of time it takes for a letter to travel back and forth. And now with Facebook, communication is even easier. It's nice to keep up to date with each other at the touch of a button; it's tough living so far away from your best friend...so this helps a bit to not feel so far away :-)

But, I will never forget the days of running out to the mailbox in anticipation of a letter awaiting with my name on it. And, on the reverse side, I loved to drop a letter in the mailbox, or make that trip to the post office to get my letter or package weighed and stamped to go to Finland. Ok, I'll admit that even now amongst the bills and junk, I am always overly excited to receive a handwritten letter :-)

But, times are different now, and I realize that. I can't even remember the last time I sat down and hand wrote a letter. Makes me sad sometimes because it was something I always loved to do. It just seems so hard to find the time to sit down and write. Especially with my Finnish friend because our letters have almost always been pages, and pages long. Now it just seems easier to sit down and type - because I can type SO MUCH faster than I can write.

I've decided to change that. I have a ton of stationery, plenty of pens around the house, moments here and there that could be used for writing, and no excuses not to do it.

I plan to write a letter each week. I will drop a letter in the mailbox each Monday. My "Mailbox Monday" post will not contain the actual message that I hand write, or the recipients name, but a 'story' about them; how I met them/know them, an adventure we have shared, how they have impacted my life, etc...I haven't really decided yet, but the words will come as I write them and I'm thinking it will turn into one of those types of 'stories'.

If a tough week/end finds me on Monday with out a letter to drop in the mailbox, I won't beat myself up about it - this isn't another 'chore on my list'...it's a chance rekindle my love of letter writing; I imagine it to be relaxing and enjoyable.

On Monday I will have a letter going out to someone...and I'd love to keep up with this for as long as I can!