A few weeks ago, I received an email from the managing editor of the paper with the subject line “Fan mail.” It caused my heart to skip a beat — fan mail from the managing editor?! In retrospect, a wild notion. Rather, what arrived was equally delightful: fan mail delivered the old-fashioned way, via snail mail.
Not from my editor, but from a reader in Litchfield. For those so young (or old) you’re unfamiliar with the term, “snail mail” refers to mail sent through traditional postal delivery services. While I do receive emails regularly from “fans,” and occasional emails from those who are decidedly “not fans,” this was my first fan snail mail.
And it was thrilling! Why was this such a big deal? Because I recognized the effort involved. Jane, the reader who sent this letter, embarked on a journey. She first had to source a card, a lovely one, adorned with a tufted titmouse, and thoughtfully put her words to paper.
She included a note on the envelope so that someone at the paper would read it and pass it along to me. Next came the task of locating the paper’s mailing address, addressing the envelope (do kids these days even know how to do this?), affixing a stamp, and dispatching it via mail. Jane demonstrated such dedication to sharing her thoughts on my column.
It was not lost on me. Then someone at the paper meticulously captured the card in photos, and the managing editor sent it to me via email. Jane’s efforts made her note incredibly meaningful an.
