"Pen Pals"

I remember when I was a kid in elementary school, I had a pen pal. It was my next door neighbors niece that lived in Chicago. I remember it was fun to get mail, but that was about all I can remember. That was long before the days of hearing "you've got mail" from the computer. But it made me start thinking how similar blogging is to having a pen pal when I was a kid. Above are some letters I pulled out of this box I have that belonged to my Grandma. It's filled with hankies, letters, and postmarks cut out in a circles and stapled to a hankies.When my dad was a soldier during WWII, my Grandma would write to other women all over the United States that had sons enlisted in different branches of the service. They would send hankies to each other. Sometimes with notes, sometimes not. But these "moms" shared the same concerns about life and were communicating with what were once total strangers, but soon became their friends. It reminds me so much of our blogs and the ties that bind us all together, the common threads we share about life!I participate in "White Wednesdays", a day that a bunch of us share our favorite "white" things that are near and dear to us. Kathleen graciously hosts this each week, and it has really taken off with many of us participating. Yesterday I noticed a post, that Jenny had died unexpectantly way before her time. I think Debra expressed many of our feelings the best when she wrote in her post, "I was just getting to know her". This world of blogging is interesting to me. It encourages me to write each day, it helps me market my business, but it has also brought people into my life that have found a place in my heart that I consider my friends! I guess after I read all the posts yesterday, it reminded me of the box of hankies that belonged to my Grandma that I've saved for years. It's odd how so many years later, the similarities are the same when it comes to friendships. I guess it's important to slow down sometimes and remember those that you look forward to hearing from during our hectic weeks. And for the friends I've made through this blog, I thank you all for that friendship we share.