That we may all

Today I received some postcard love from Germany and sent some to Tawain.

I know that sending postcards doesn't radically connect me with the sender or receiver. I know it doesn't end hunger or help educate or necessarily ease burdens. But I think it does fulfill one basic human need: to know that, at least for a moment, someone out there was thinking exactly of you and hoping to make you smile.

So far I've sent or received postcards from Thailand, Netherlands, Russia, Belarus, Poland, China, Lithuania, and other places. People I never would have had contact with, never would have known there names. Now they have a little piece of me and I of them, and that is magical to me.

The upcoming Valentine's Day is, I think, the first one I have truly looked forward to. I've been genuinely excited about it for a week now. And while I joke about the chocolate I ordered and plan to spend the day at home pondering and relaxing, I really mean for it to be a special, personal, uplifting experience.

I am all set, thanks to More Love Letters, to spend Valentine's evening writing a series of letters to a woman named Rachel. Anyone can go on the site and submit a request for love letters for their loved ones who are suffering, feeling alone, feeling in need of some care. I suspect that most of the time their loved ones don't even know a request has been sent, or that a bundle of thoughts is coming. Rachel lives in Australia and recently lost her husband after a three year battle with cancer. She is a mother and a teacher and is pressing on. My thoughts and hearts have been filled for her.

If any of you would like to contribute a letter to send to Rachel, I would be happy to come by next Mon, Tue, or Wed and pick them up from your house and take care of postage. (Or, if you're anywhere outside of Provo, let me know via comment, email, or message and I can give you directions on where to send it--only basic US postage required. It will be bundled with my letters by the coordinators before going on to Rachel.) It can be simple. It can be personal. It can be something that inspires you. It can be two lines and anonymous. It can be anything.


All these little things are coming to mean so much to me.