Dear So and So

Last night at our very cool Ladies book club, we discussed A Women of Independent Means. This book tells the story of one woman and the people around her through her outgoing letters to people throughout her life. Among other things, we discussed the art of letter writing and the feelings of joy one can have upon receiving a letter from a loved one – there is nothing like finding a letter in your mailbox amidst all the bills and junk mail. In the growing technological age we live in, more and more letter writing is giving way to e-mail writing. On the whole, I would say e-mails tend to be less personal – less thought out. With a letter, you know the writer intended it for you and no one else; she wrote it by hand to you.

Still, today I was reminded how an e-mail letter (even an e-mail card) can have the same effect. As I browsed through an old e-mail account I no longer use because of massive amounts of spam mail, I noticed a Christmas e-card mixed in with all the junk. It was from an old friend from college. She lives in Malaysia and I lost her phone number, address, and judging from the "return to server" e-mails, her current e-mail address in the last couple of years. One of my best friends, and I had lost complete contact with her. So, when I saw the e-card from her today, I had the same elation I would get if she had sent a big huge care-package straight to my door.

This book and the accompanying event of receiving a newfound link to my friend have inspired me take more care in staying contact with those I love. I am going to try to write more letters – both by e-mail and by hand. Everyone is busy with work, with school, with TV, but at the end of the day it’s the connections we’ve made that will comfort and sustain us through life.