Random Observation/Comment #292: I love receiving things in the mail. Tearing open cardboard boxes is much more rewarding than opening an email with a click. Sometimes I’ll just buy random things on Amazon so I can open them.
Wherever I’ve traveled, I’ve sent a postcard to my parents. It has always made them smile. Here are the pictures of those postcards:
It was a project that I kept in the back of my head ever since I started traveling after Cooper. I figured, I’d get enough postcards to fill my wall if I bought one from each place I traveled to. I was very ambitious.
The Challenge:
Send postcards to friends around the world that I’ve lost touch with. On the postcards, write meaningful and relevant content to our memories shared together.
The Reason:
The postcard project came to light when I was reviewing my web of peeps and felt like I hadn’t connected with my travel friends for quite some time. I have met so many people around the world, yet our connection has been reduced to little Facebook News Feed blips. When I was in Hamburg studying, I sent around 20 postcards to my friends and family back home. I really enjoyed doing the task even though it took forever. This is just an evolved version of what I did back then.
The Result:
Luckily, I had the foresight to start this postcard project early. Here are the steps:
- Write FB messages/texts to friends and family for 2-3 days asking them to participate in the project
- Save all mailing addresses into a google doc
- Write messages for each person in the google doc
- Buy $60 worth of local and international stamps
- Create my own “Perfect Simplicity” postcard from www.zazzle.com . Bought 60 prints.
- Spend 2-3 days writing 53 postcards
- Nurse the blister from writing
Apologies in advance for my terrible handwriting. I actually didn’t rush any of it and I tried very hard to write legibly. Unfortunately, I have the handwriting of a doctor.
The Conclusion:
This is much more than a one-day challenge. It took some planning, but not as much work as you would expect. Connecting with those friends just to get their mailing addresses was rewarding. I have no idea what type of response I will get from this, but I hope I at least made a few people smile.
As an alternative reason to sending these postcards, my parent’s place did not fare well in Hurricane Sandy. For those of you who received a postcard and would like to return the favor, please send one to my parents at:
Clemens’ Parents
1054 Jefferson Street
Baldwin, NY 11510
I hope their spirits will be uplifted when they see some postcards from around the world.
~See Lemons Send Love
I love this. I used to buy 5 postcards every place I traveled: mom/dad, sister, Nana, Uncle & BF. Over the years Relationships have changed… Elders have passed. Now I send a postcard to my local coffeeshop and my folks. Wish I had thought of your plan!
It’s never too late to do it now 🙂 I adopted this from Jason’s thank you cards.