For Thanksgiving, I wrote to my friend who lives abroad in Turkey. It has probably been a year since I’ve seen her and together gotten into an engaging conversation, so I believe that this letter is a great way to break the silence.
In that letter, I attempted to fill her in on what has been a major event in my life, just like in those letters we read. I didn’t say much about myself until I felt as if the letter was boringly self-centered, but I reminded myself of how in the past, all they had was letters, so it was usual for one to write about themselves for the most part, especially if you began the pen pal.
Of course, I will keep this letter as a surprise until my friend receives it, as I hope that it doesn’t go missing across the many zones it is traveling through. In the past on her birthdays, I would send presents, but this time, I am sending a simple letter which I find to be much more thoughtful and meaningful than those chosen gifts.
The reception of this letter might be oddly unusual, not just for my friend but for the mailman delivering this letter, especially in a country where envelopes and letters are outmoded. I do believe though that this letter will deliver a sense of familiarity that will wash over both the mailman and my friend, as handwritten letters always feel closer to the heart.
