Pen Pals

(image courtesy ldsactivitydayideas.blogspot.com)

“Hi my name is Lisa S. and I’m your pen pal”

So I had a penpal. And for some reason, I can even recall her name. My parents would get mails and so would I. I remember how excited I was when I got the first introductory mail. I felt grown up. I had somebody writing to me from 'america'.

I really can’t remember what it was we exchanged in those few letters, but I often wonder, how it was that I was excited to get a letter from my pen pal. My sister and I each had our different pen pals. My pen pal would write in fancy looking papers and so I would tear out the blank glossy sheet from my dad’s annual report and write back. I was under ten. I really don’t know what I had to say; probably about my school and family. I lost touch when we moved houses and omitted to communicate the change in address. Again I was under ten. 

(image courtesy realifebh.com)

I think my pen pal influenced my hand writing 'cos I tried to write like she did. I recently had to wonder why my mum thought of signing us up for pen pals. I wonder if other kids in my generation (Born in the 80s) had pen pals, I wonder if anyone is still in touch with their pen pal. I tried to google mine recently but got too many results. We had exchanged pictures at the time, but while the name stuck with me, the face didn’t. How do I even start if I do find her? “Hi my name is Gemstots and I was your pen pal”

Did you have a pen pal? Would you sign your kids up for one? What would it be called today anyway? Mail Pal?