What's behind this blog

Writing letters home is a family tradition.  My grandparents moved to Iowa from Indiana when my mom was 7. The story I’ve heard is that Grandma would walk to the train station once a week to mail a letter to her mother.  She would tell whoever had accompanied her that the letter would arrive the next day.  (It would take at least 3 days now.)

The letters I remember receiving growing up were from my aunt.  She is a great story-teller and writer.  It helped that there was never a dull moment in her family so she had plenty of fodder.  For awhile Mom and her sister also exchanged cassette tapes.  We’d sit around the table listening to the table chatter at their house and then tape over it with our own table chatter.  (To bad those no longer exist – it would probably be some great blackmail material against my cousins.)

When I went to college I did my best to send a letter home every Wednesday so my parents would receive it on Saturday before they called me Sunday afternoon.  At first those letters were easy to write; there was a lot to tell about.  But as I settled into a routine it became more difficult and I’d ask my roommate for some ideas.  Her comment was, “If you don’t have anything to write about, why are you writing?” 

“Because that is what is expected.”  As far as I know I didn’t miss a week – and neither did Mom.

A few years after college I moved to France and continued to send a weekly letter home.  International phone calls were expensive so we talked only on birthdays and at Christmas.  That made the letters that crossed the Atlantic even more important.  Once I put a letter in the slot at the post office only to realize I hadn’t put a stamp on it.  There was no way to dig it out and my French wasn’t good enough to ask if they would get it for me.  I went back home and printed another one out and sent it with a stamp.  My parents received both on the same day.

Over the years I became much less disciplined in writing home each week.  I suppose I can blame it on email and the dramatic drop in telephone cost.   With email I no longer have to fill up the page and sometimes it’s just easier to call.  I’m sure Mom would think that is no excuse. (though she’d never say so.)

Besides writing home, I also was responsible for a monthly newsletter.  Now that I’ve left that position and have moved back to the US, several who received the newsletter have told me that they would like to stay in contact.  That led to the idea of this blog.  I can post a letter and those who are interested can read it here.  At the same time I’ve wondered when I’ll run out of things to say.  Since I’m in the midst of a major transition there will be many stories to tell.  But eventually I’ll settle into a routine and it will take more creativity and thought to come up with a new story.  I may even have to ask a friend for some help.  But I think I’ll enjoy the discipline of having to post something once a week to family and friends wherever they may be.

Look for a new post every weekend – and be sure and write back from time to time.