Pen Pal

Aw, you guuuuuys.

Today in the mail I received a letter. From my friend in San Francisco. An actual handwritten, pen-to-paper (well, pen-to-legal pad; she’s a lawyer) old-style message. Can you believe it? Not a “card” or a “invitation” or a “thank you note” - but a letter.

I almost threw it out.

My friend has perfect handwriting – flawless (to give you an idea – she addressed every single one of my wedding invitations five years ago). Anyway, I saw that immaculate blue ink that is often on those “letters” that look personal but are really junk mail, so I was about to toss it aside. But then I saw the stamps. I know that dog, I thought. That’s Henley! I glanced at the return address and sure enough . . .

I ripped open the envelope. Five pages, single-spaced. She started by saying she had wanted to write on beautiful stationary with a wax seal for the full effect. Yep, that’s my friend Pia. I devoured every word. It was just as a letter should be – wonderful news, the best news, and sad news, so sad. My emotions were swinging. Laugh, laugh, laugh. Cry, cry, cry. Vigorous nodding in agreement. Shaking of the head in disbelief.

After finishing, I was dying to race upstairs and pound out an e-mail in response. But of course I didn’t. I dusted off one of my old legal pads. And began to write.