Trip of a lifetime relived through letters — 30 years later
Perhaps you sent a snap-chat of you and the kids on the beach this year. Or maybe you sent a text to a friend saying ‘wish you were here’ while you took in the latest exhibit at the museum. Or maybe you went old school and sent a postcard from your vacation spot.
For Mary, sending postcards and letters while she spent a year travelling abroad, was not a personal preference but the only option to keep in touch with family and friends.
30 years ago Mary Charleson, now an accomplished marketing and communications specialist, grew up while exploring the world. She sent letters home to her mom, who is now 92. Unbeknownst to Mary, her mother kept them.
Letters provide a tangible glimpse into life
It wasn’t until this year that Nancy, Mary’s mom, gave the album of postcards and letters back to Mary on her Birthday. Imagine what memories and experiences these letters brought back to life for Mary.
In conversation with Mary, who wrote about receiving these letters 30 years later, I learned that not only did her mother save all her letters, but they survived many moves over the years, always traveling with Nancy no matter where she was.
The letters were not shoved in a shoe box or in the attic collecting dust. Instead, Nancy thoughtfully put them in an album to keep and display. These letters meant something. They captured a year of her daughters life. They provide a glimpse into a trip of a lifetime where independence, maturity, and discovery was realized. A precious Birthday gift indeed.
Do you keep the letters you receive? What do you do with them?
p.s. should you ever have the chance to hear Mary speak don’t miss it; I hear she has been known to send out postcards.
This is so lovely! I keep all my letters from friends and family, have some dating back to when I was 11 years old! 🙂
I love to hear this Jessica. Nothing can replace how letters and cards retrace our life at different stages. So precious.
I sure do keep personal written letters or postcards. Admittedly, I don’t keep every birthday card sent to me, but when there is a personal note, that makes it special (hand written notes are from the heart, which I love!…I think we all do)!
I’m with you Sydney. Although I have been known to frame a Bday card or two, and I find they make great book marks. Wasn’t Joan’s story (and of course Mary’s) just so inspiring?!
Great read – my mom, who passed away at the age of 94, 5 years ago, did the same thing! She kept all the letters that each of us 5 kids wrote her over the years and one of the last times they downsized yet again to a smaller placed, passed them on to each of us. The cards that I gave her for Mothers Day and Birthdays, she had neatly glued into a scrapbook. wow. very special, and I know I will also hang onto to any of the cards received from her that I have hung onto from years passed. Decluttering certainly has its place, but I guess things like this would answer “yes” to one of those 2 decluttering questions: Do you love it – YES!; Do you need it – no.
Beautiful Joan!! 🙂 I’m an organizer and know what you said to be true when decluttering…’do you love it?’ YES!!!!!
Joan, what an amazing woman, your Mom! How incredible that she kept all letters from 5 kids. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to take greater care when purging… 🙂