The joy of letter writing

Dear All 4 One Home Friends,

I remember as a child, I couldn’t wait for the mailman to come in hopes to receive a letter from either my grandparents, friends, or a pen pal. Anytime I received a letter addressed to me, it brought me so much joy and excitement I couldn’t wait to tear it open to see what was written inside. I still feel that way today, and whenever I see my name handwritten on an envelope, that is always the first piece of mail I open.

The most exciting letter I had ever received as a child was while President Reagan was in office. Our teacher had given us the assignment to write him.  While I cannot remember all of the details of my letter, I do remember these two.  The first item was jelly beans, I loved jelly beans and I remembered the President was known for having a bowl of jellybeans on his desk. The second thing I wrote about was how we had the same nickname.  Now, I do not recall how I received this nickname or why, but it was “Gipper”. Perhaps it was because my name starts with a G and my parents were big supporters of Reagan? I have no idea why, but that is what my Dad and big sister used to call me all of the time, “Gipper”.

A few weeks later, I received a letter addressed to me from The White House. Inside was a personalized typed response on The White House letterhead from President Reagan, letting me know how much he enjoyed my letter and that he too enjoys jelly beans. The letter was signed by him, or at least to a 10-year-old little girl it appeared to be signed by him.  That response from the President was amazing to me and inspired me to write more letters.

Today, the handwritten letters or notes I cherish the most are from my children, my mother, my sisters, and my husband.  These truly mean the world to me.  It takes time for someone to sit down, put their thoughts onto paper, and to let you know how much you mean to them is simply priceless.

This year I’ve decided it is now my turn to sit down and write special letters to my loved ones.  It is a goal of mine to stay connected to family and friends and I believe putting pen to paper and sharing my thoughts will help me stay connected in an old familiar way.

I hope this letter inspires you to write to someone dear, and in turn, I hope they send you a handwritten letter back.

Yours Truly,

Gretchen ~ All 4 One Home