Senior Pen Pals is something that I love
by Linda Hamill
(Covina, CA, USA)
The year was 1980 ~ we had just moved into our new home on the Central Coast ~ it was the most perfect home and in the future years we thought it would be our "Senior" retirement home ~ It was small so easily cleaned ~ the views were spectacular and I spent many hours planting new flowers and grasses and a great veggie garden.
However that was not enough for me ~ I didn't know anyone in the area and didn't know what to do with all my FREE time ~ Jobs were scarce and friends even more scarce ~ so, what to do!!! ~
Walking into a local card store while downtown, I found several cards for the upcoming holiday ~ I noticed an add from American Greeting Cards ~ buy three cards and get the names of three Pen Pals selected for you ~ I bought the cards, put in my critical information and got the names of three ladies in Australia (Mother's homeland) ~ Like I said, the year 1980 ~ over 30 years ago ~ and my Pen Friendships and card writing began ~ It was such a wonderful feeling when I rec'd three return letters in my mailbox ~
That was the beginning and today I am still writing to (2)two of those three original ladies who are still Australian residents ~ Since those original days I have had well over 200 different female writers ~ For every time & season, as the saying goes, ~ they came and went, stayed long time friendships, short term friendships and different friendships over all those many years ~ Several have passed away and some have gotten through dreadful illnesses or divorced, lost children and so on ~ but all through those times, I was a friend from the "mailbox" who cared ~
I really have loved all these years of my life and would not want to change a thing ~
I learned so much from my Pen friends and hopefully they learned from me ~ we grew older, grew up laughing and smiling while drinking our cappuccinos and enjoying the reading of our letters outside on the veranda and getting excited to write back to each of those ladies and tell them about our new and current news about our Grandchildren, even great grandchildren and what is going on not only in our lives but those we love and have nursed along with us during our Senior Years ~
It has been an awesome ride and I would never change it for anything else.
Well, that is my story and I am ending it saying Welcome friends ~ Want a new Pen Pal?
Linda Helen
Wendy Hello! Just emailed you my pen pal newsletter so that you might find new snail mail pals too! Enjoy!
