Friday, May 7, 2010

Finding a pen pal...

pen pal: n. A person with whom one becomes acquainted through a friendly, regular correspondence.

I have recently acquired a pen pal. We met in New York and spent a couple of hours together there in various group activities. There was an instant connection. We met and I thought, I could definitely be friends with her. Then I came home...

Since then we have been writing long letters via email and getting to know each other. It is wonderful and exciting. I feel transported to a different time. A time when letters were the most common form of communication. There is something so satisfying about writing out your days and including little pieces of who you are. It is equally satisfying to learn about a person a little at a time, through the little snippets of self she chooses to enclose in her letters. I open each letter wondering, what will she give me today.

As a side note. I finished The Guernsery and Literary Potato Peel Pie Society on my visit to New York. It is an entire story told in letters and it is absolutely delightful. Perhaps it was the catalyst for my correspondence with KC. If it was, then I love the serindipitous nature of the book and our meeting. It helps me believe there are forces at work bigger than ourselves.

Lettering writing with KC makes me want to write more letters. I know pen pals are sort of out of style, but I think it would be wonderful to have friends all over the country that you only knew through letters. It would move us all, even for an afternoon, to a simpler time. Maybe it will happen someday. For now, I will just keep the one I have and wait for the next letter.

2 comments:

  1. This picture is perfect, I seriously teared up a little. I think I really need a nap!

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  2. I love, love, love that you have a pen pal (and that Guernsey was the inspiration).

    How goes life post-grad school?

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