Pen Pals

Even in this day of texting, instant messaging, and on-line social networking sites, I still enjoy taking advantage of snail mail and pen pals.

There is just something about putting pen to paper and watching thoughts flow out of your hand to fill the pages of paper that make up a letter. It is like putting a part of yourself onto those sheets and sealing it in an envelope to send off to a friend.

Then you wait excitedly for a reply. Every time you open the mailbox your heart beats a little faster, "Is there a letter today?" If there is nothing you feel a little disappointed until you remember that it may come tomorrow. Your heart jumps a little jump of anticipation and a smile comes to your face as you look forward to the next day and what it may bring.

Other times you are pleasantly surprised by a letter or note from someone you have not heard from in a while. Those surprise messages of love make your day and can keep you smiling for weeks.

Yes, quick methods of communication are nice and surly have their places, but to my way of thinking, snail mail should be an important part of every friendship.

In the fast pace of today, let us not forget that there are places in life for the older, slower ways of doing things.

So, the next time you are near a mailbox, why not send a friend a piece of yourself in the shape of a letter or card? Brighten their day with a loving message. Let them know that you think enough of them to take the time to sit down and write an "old fashioned" letter.

Happy writing,

Kaomi

Popsicles Produce Patience?

It is so hot these days that something cool is always welcome. Yesterday we decided to have frozen Kool-Aid Bursts for a snack. Which is a nice way to cool down on a summer afternoon, right? Only we got more then we bargained for.

My youngest sister was the first to complain that she could not get anything to come out. Next thing you know, we are all sitting around the living and dinning rooms with frozen Kool-Aid Bursts hanging out of our mouths, yet no one was having any success. Nothing was coming out! Where we usually have a problem with popsicles melting too fast, we now had the problem of popsicles not melting at all.

Some of us decided that if we went outside where it was hot, surely they would melt faster. It helped a little, but not much. Others decided to cut the tops off and eat the icy sweetness instead of waiting, only to find that cutting the tops off only made different kinds of problems like sticky messes.

I laughed over it all and said I never would have imagined when I bought the popsicles that they would be such a good lesson on patience. Sure you could cut the plastic tops off and eat them more quickly, but then you did not get to enjoy the cool sweetness as long, not to mention the mess. For those who waited, they got to enjoy the taste and coolness much longer and not worry about an extra mess to clean up.

The moral of this story is, if you freeze Kool-Aid Bursts, do not eat them unless you know you have plenty of time to wait, and wait, and wait. Or, you can do what I am thinking of doing the next time I feel like a Kool-Aid Burst. Stick it in the fridge to cool it down and then just drinking it. It would be much faster, taste just as good, and not tie up my hands for an hour. It is not that hot anyway.

So, did I learn a lesson in patience? Not really, I just learned that eating frozen Kool-Aid Bursts is not my favorite pastime, and that I do not enjoy having frozen hands. For more tips on how and how not to stay cool this summer; keep your eye on my future posts.


~Kaomi is doing her best to stay cool throughout the summer months. She would like to thank you for taking the time to read her blog, and hopes that you will have a wonderful summer.