Letters

Once upon a time, a long distance phone call used to be a rare occasion due to the expense. So I wrote letters--real, handwritten breezy little missives--to my near and dear to keep in touch. I wrote to my brother and his wife. I wrote to my aunt. I wrote to my parents and my sisters when I was in Italy one summer. When I returned home, my mother handed me all the letters I had written to her. What a treasure!

Many years ago before she died, my mother found another letter tucked away somewhere and gave it to me. I had written to Mom and my sister when they were visiting my grandmother in western Pennyslvania. I had written it only a few weeks before my hubby and I were married. Using a fountain pen and my best handwriting, I rambled on about the bargains I had found such as my white, wedding shoes for $9.

I told them about the bedroom furniture arriving in the house hubby and I would soon share. I had spent the whole day waiting for the furniture to arrive and had met one of the neighbors.

Then I told them about the wedding shower hubby's family gave me in Brooklyn. I listed all the wonderful gifts I received, but I knew very few people in his family at that time and told my mother I felt like an orphan since none of my own family was there. (A few weeks later, my family threw another shower for me.)

Reading the letter, I realize now how young and naive I was. I have changed--a bit. 😁

Too bad very few people write letters anymore. E-mail is not quite the same.