Snail Mail

It's amazing how books keep us together. Today I am planning on sending a friend in NY a book I read over the weekend. "Love Walked In" by Marisa De La Santos is a heartwarming story of Love in all it's forms. I enjoyed the story and I think she will too. The book was originally sent to me by my boyfriend, in NJ, who got it from his mom. This book has traveled. It is not the only book that I've read to travel great distances. The farthest someone has sent a book to me is from France, but it is not the distance that is impressive. The idea that in today's world of instant messenger and cell phones, sending the written word via "snail" mail is still one of the best ways to show you care.
Sending a book not only shows that you care, but that, even from a distance, you still know who they are and what they like. People love receiving mail, especially in today's world of instant communication. While instant communication is great for long distance relationships, the thought and effort of sending actual mail is appreciated far more. Recently my sister got a new job. She was really excited, and over the phone I said "congratulations". Later that day I sent her a card. She was so surprised and thrilled that she immediately called to thank me.
...to thank me. It seems so strange to be thanked for doing something that was second nature, and expected 10 years ago.
In the end I love "snail" mail. I dislike calling it that because we should not focus on it's speed, especially since it usually get's there the next day. A far cry from the Pony Express. Instead we should focus on it's tangable nature. It is a physical connection between two people of great distance.