GREETING CARDS

Are you like me ? Did you find it difficult to get those Christmas greeting cards in the mail? In the past I have always prided myself by having them in the mail right after Thanksgiving. This year I was scrambling to make it by Christmas. Cards have gotten more and more expensive, and the postage keeps going up until it seems like a good idea to just skip the whole thing.

Today I was gathering up all of the cards that I received, and I sat down to re-read all of them once more. I was touched by the nice notes, letters, and pictures that I received from various friends. I had a little talk with myself, and wonder if you have thought about these things too.

Old friends are some of the most treasured things we have on this earth. I still receive cards, letters, and phone calls from some people who were in my high school class of 1944. Frank W. is one of those people who calls me often. He has called me since my husband died, just to check if I am OK and to let me know he is thinking of me, although he lives on the Oregon Coast. Recently his wife passed away, and yet he managed to get Christmas cards posted. Betty Jean lives in Eugene, Oregon and we have stayed close over the years. We also stay in touch via telephone, and she is one of those people who never misses sending a card on special days. Her husband, Tom was very special too.

One time while we were living in Juneau, Alaska my husband, Bob decided we needed a new car. He got on the phone and called Tom who was a buick salesman. Bob told him exactly what we wanted in a car, and when the conversation was over, Tom asked, "when are you going to come to Oregon to pick up the car?" Bob said, "we aren't, you are going to bring it to us." Tom was open-mouthed at that one. Bob said that if they would drive the car to Alaska, they could visit us and then we would fly them back to Portland. So, the deal was made. That summer Tom, Betty Jean, and their daughter Deborah drove the Alcan Highway to Prince Rupert, Canada and then ferried the car on to Juneau. That was the year that there were huge floods in Canada, and they had to drive many miles from Prince George to Prince Rupert on a gravel road. That road was covered over with water, and they were driving by sighting some posts along the edge of the road, and it was a very frightening drive. There was a very deep gorge along side the road a good share of the way. No one could turn around, because there was no place to do that. They made it fine, and while on the ferry Tom polished and cleaned the car up until it looked like a bran new car when he drove off the ferry in Juneau. Who, but a good friend would do that?

Betty Ann was my maid of honor when I married Bob in 1946. We were best friends in high school, and over the years have stayed in touch. She and her husband, Kenny came to Juneau to visit us once, and they also came here to New Mexico to visit me when I first moved here. Kenny has since passed away, but I still have those good memories.

Dorothy has been a close friend since 1942 when I moved into her neighborhood and we walked to school together every day. Dorothy used to tend to be late getting places, and when we'd walk I was always hurrying her along. She finally got so that she would meet me on the corner and we were always on time to school. We had to walk about 2 miles to school in rain or shine weather conditions. They didn't send busses for us back then.

Over the years I have made many new friends who still stay in touch too. As I read over the cards I realized the importance of getting those cards in the mail so that I will never lose track of any of those very special people in my life.

Maybe this little memo will cause you to rethink the importance of the beautiful cards that bring us greetings from friends that can never be replaced.

I wish for you a Happy new year.