Today I received an airmail envelope, inside a plastic sleeve, the perfect size for the envelope. Perhaps because the sender wanted to be extra sure that the paper crafts and letter inside wouldn’t be damaged. It was even decorated with an Australian stamp in the corner of the plastic sleeve, instead of on the paper envelope.
Inside? Paper crafts (a paperclip adorned with a handmade paper flower and some cute as can be sticky notes), Easter stickers, AND a letter. The sender asks me inside the envelope sized package to “post” when received.
So that’s what I’ll do. I’ll tell her and all of you how awesome it was to receive such a nice package in the letter box, especially in a world where almost every thing in your letterbox is a bill or a brochure.
Now this isn’t the first time I’ve received airmail in the fancy airmail envelope with the lovely red, blue and white border. (It’s the second time). This was the first time I received a letter in a rain protection sleeve though. It definitely gave an air of importance.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that “all post goes by air these days” and that “you don’t even need to use those airmail stickers or envelopes anymore.” Mainly because my postal lady told me. But that doesn’t negate the fact that there is something truly special about knowing that someone, who doesn’t really know you, has put so much thought into a letter to a complete stranger, that they felt it needed to be protected.
I replied to this thoughtful pen friend, and do you know it took me the equivalent of a whole stationery paper book, you know the ones where you peel off pages as needed… Yep, I used the whole thing and had to run across the road (to my handy local post office) to buy another pad of stationery writing paper to finish my reply.
But I do tend to get caught on side tracks. Especially in letter writing. In fact, the letter barely fit in the corresponding themed envelope, I was worried I might have to send it in a bigger envelope. If I had done that I probably could have sent extra bits and bobs…though I’m not even sure what…
I’m a firm believer that sites like LetterMo, along with Postcrossing and Postfun (postcard apps which I am also apart of) help us take back our letter boxes from the money hungry business men.
How cool that there are so many people on so many platforms who feel the same way as I do about “snail” mail. Just receiving one postcard or letter is enough to brighten your day or even your week.
My week has definitely been brightened by this little gift. Thank you Sharon Mayo, wherever you are.
Amy Barhorst a.k.a. Ocean Moon
@pensnpals
Wow. I had no idea that one of my letters was likely to show up on here. Glad that you received my letter Amy.
I do tend to enclose my letters in a cello envelope as even though the weather can be blue skies and sunny for me it might be a completely different weather environment during its travel destination to its recipient. I received a letter in my PO Box recently that was sopping wet. I have also received letters written with a fountain pen that have gotten wet in transit and been a blurry mess by the time I received it.
I will look forward to receiving a letter from you.