Pen Pals
When I was about 12 years old, I sent my name in to a pen pals column in our Sunday school paper. I loved having pen pals. It cost three cents to mail a letter back then and my mom was very frugal about money. She thought it was a good idea for me to have pen pals but she didn't went to spend three whole cents for me to mail a letter if I hadn't filled the page when I was finished writing. That makes me chuckle now, but actually, it was good training for me. It probably was an important part in helping me develop in my interest in writing.
In my early days I probably had about 10 pen pals, perhaps a few more than that. I wasn't into making lists then and I don't think I ever listed them all. One was from DeMoines, one from Sioux City. I don't remember all of them. One was from a town in PA which I assumed was miles away and well beyond the chance of us ever meeting each other. How surprised I was when I grew up to discover that the town, one that I had never heard of before, was in actuality only about 20 miles from us. It would have been so easy for us to get to meet each other then.
Sadly, I don't know where any of my pen pals are today. We never continued to write to each other as we grew up. I've never given up my interest in writing letters. I still love to write letters and to receive letters. I love getting letters in my mail box on the porch, or in my mailbox on-line.
Today if I had a pen pal twenty miles away, I'd certainly be knocking on her door some day, and I'd expect her to be knocking at my door, too. Exchanging letters should help to build lasting friendships. I wish I knew where my pen pals are today and if any of them ever wonder about me as I wonder about them.
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