Mailmen: an endangered species

"I pretend to work with one ear cocked for the sound of the post dropping in the box, and when I hear it, I scramble down the stairs, breathless for the next piece of the story."

-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

An American family at church learned about my free time and my endless appetite for a good book.  When I told them I'd read all of the English books I brought, all of the English books in my Austrian family's collection*, and had started on the German ones, they kindly offered to have me over after church to peruse their library.

I went last Sunday and was sent home with a bag of six English books.  Praise the Lord!  I finished the first one** on Tuesday (oops), and started another one right away.

This second one is called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  The thoughts of mine it's evoked are just as intriguing as the title is.  It's historical fiction and takes place just after World War II and the German occupancy of the (English) Channel Islands.  It's a collection of letters between members of said society, an author in London, and a couple of her friends.

Now I'm slightly mourning the extinction of good communication via post.  Don't get me all wrong--I am SO grateful for technology like Skype, where I can see my sweet sisters' faces and hear their voices.  But it gets me thinking about this generation's need for instant gratification.  Where has our patience gone?

These letters are long, with feelings and stories and questions and answers.  They were so meaty because they didn't have Facebook news feeds to keep friends caught up, or e-mails for a quick, time-sensetive question.

I can just imagine waiting several days for a reply.  When it would come, it would require more than a minute and a half to read.  I would examine the way each "h" and "s" loops and turns.  I think I would appreciate that the handwriting makes it even more personal...not just anybody could write that letter, only the friend who would sign it at the end.

I wish I had that.  It's not really possible, I suppose, as almost all of those with whom I love to keep in touch have a Facebook, which updates me on their lives whether I ask it to or not.  I mean, I do still use the post.  I love to write little notes and send postcards to friends, and I'll always answer you if you send me a letter.  But how exciting would it be to have that anticipation of the next one coming, knowing it was the only way to really maintain that relationship?

So...who wants to be my pen pal?  =)

Grace and peace,
Hilary

*barring War and Peace, but not for lack of trying.  I made it 20ish pages in before I feared an internal shutdown of the brain.
**It was called Blink, by Ted Dekker.  Incredible book!  I read it perhaps 5 or 6 years ago, but the second time was not any less thrilling.  If you can get your hands on it, read it now!

Photo from http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2007/aug/20/week