Pen Pals

Both of my pen pals are talented, one with words and one with her hands, though she, too, has a way with words.  She penned a phrase, "love and biscuits" in her recent letter that is just wonderful.  Anyway, below is the first postcard I got from her.  It's been on my fridge ever since, and shortly after it arrived, I began hearing the neighborhood owls calling each other.  I spotted one near the creek once, and it was a huge fellow.

My other pen pal sends me cards filled with lavender and shaped sparkles: hearts, stars circles...they spill out of the card when I open it like her caring and friendship spill out of her: generously and with abandon.  She sends a post card and makes up a story about the image on the front, using words to create art.

This week was an especially taxing one in many ways, affirming in others but definitely sleep deprived either way.

I got home Thursday evening to find a package that contained a blue letter folded origami fashion and a bubble wrapped square.

In the package was a beautiful handmade ceramic tile with layered hearts in the center and a latin proverb "a man is not where he lives but where he loves" around the edge.  It arrived on the best day it could have arrived.  I sat with the tile in my hand, marveling that someone could just come up with that combination of clay, shapes and color to create such a wonderful gift.

I so appreciate my pen pals and the snail mail that lets me open the mailbox with a sense of expectation now, even on days when there is only an insulation special postcard in the box.

Gotta run, I need to put some things in the mail.