I have lived in Colorado for 40 years but grew up in upstate New York. When I was married and raising a family my mother and I would write every week. I often bemoaned the fact that it was time for me to write--so little time with the house, the children and husband, and then the teaching-- to give up for a letter. Now I miss not writing to her. Phone conversations were maybe every couple of weeks as it was expensive to call. In my mother's letters she would often include articles cut out of the newspapers or magazines . There were times when I was too busy to read them but have kept a few including one of a picture of the fall colors in that part of the country. When I started teaching she would often send me colorful maple leaves that I would put up on a bulletin board.
Things are different now with email, Facebook, and Skype. No longer are people writing letters. My daughter and many of her generation do not read newspapers and find all of their news through the electronic media. But I cannot help cutting articles out of newspapers and magazines--some I save for myself and file away never to be seen again. Others I send to Megan--she who does not like reading these articles, does not like 'stuff' and I am sure rolls her eyes when she receives them. I just cannot help myself--it is an inherited trait--one that ends with me.
Examples of articles ready to mail--see if you think they are worth while.
1. About the movie Avatar-Here in Colorado, the people of Crested Butte think the movie is about them. "Pandora is a harsh paradise with a handsome and adventuresome group who do such things as climb floating mountains and ride flying dragons--a rather extreme sport". Sounds like the folks in the Butte. And another comparison about a mountain being saved by a Marine in a wheelchair in Pandora just like the mayor in Crested Butte--a Marine in a wheechair--saving a mountain from being mined for molybdenum. ALSO, James Cameron has a house in Crested Butte and spends a lot of time there! Now, I think that is a very interesting article and probably information that cannot be found anywhere but in our local paper. And information that I think Megan needs.
2. An article entitled "Why We Should Believe in Santa Claus" buy Alexander McCall Smith.
3. A wedding announcement of a classmate of Megan who is now a reporter for one of our Denver TV stations. ( FYI It is Russell Haythorn KMGH- 7)
4. A Social Studies test on Hawaii Megan took in 4th grade. ( She got 100%) This one will go in the trash right away--but she might get a good laugh.
I loved all of those years when I would go to the mailbox and there would be her letter. I really miss her and do not regret becoming her.
I used to write to my grandmother in Scotland every week or so (more like every 2 weeks once I had kids). I would grumble about having to do it, having to print out pictures to send her, having to go to the post office to buy international stamps, etc. I often think how much easier it would be now with email and blogs (assuming she would be interested in learning her way around a computer) but she passed away before all of that became so accessible. I miss writing to her and I especially miss the letters she would send in return. She too would send funny little newspaper clippings. Sometimes I would read both sides of the cut-out and would still be unsure why on earth she sent it to me!
ReplyDeleteI never clipped articles but I did write to a great grandmother who I had never met. My parents even let me spell her name the way I thought it was spelled "Arecoolwhip" (it should have been Arcuette. My mom sends me stuff all the time. I'm a hoarder so it usually goes right into my hope chest. Last time was a very old photo book of Montreal. Before that, the diary she kept while my German exchange student was staying at our house.
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