Day 13 – Music, weather and pints of beer

Short and simple, a life-long pen-pal means the world to me. This pen-pal is different that the first lovely pen-pal friend (J.P.) that I wrote about on Day 4. This pen-pal, (M.B.), is from the internet. We met on a pen-pal site almost 20 years ago. Seems like yesterday that I starting writing letters to (M.B.) a married man who has lived at 10 Old Oak Lawn in England for the entire time I have been writing to him. I have his address memorized and it probably works to his benefit as I can send him a postcard from anywhere I go.

Some might wonder what my pen-pals offers to me as we are so far away and some consider it not to be  a real connection where I have actually met them or have much in common with them. For some this would be true and nothing would blossom. For me, I see it as a new challenge, an opportunity to expand my world, to live through a letter that shares interests, hopes, fears and good will gestures. It has one have to take the time out of our fast-paced world and actually….YES  actually sit, think and write a letter. I love to use handwriting and I love finding  fun stamps. It is just as much a thrill to know that someone far away is willing to do that for me too.

(M.B.) is a much older than me and lives a life a world apart from what my life is. He fights systems to get help for his polio and also to be able to live in his home and be able to access services and supports. Trips are small ventures around England and an evening out is a pint of beer at the local pub. My deepest  connection with (M.B.) is music. He has been in a band at a local pub for as many years as I can count. He plays a trumpet and he brings out the true joy of music with me. Talking sheet music, new band members, instruments and the love for tuning, and working as a team to create music lifts my spirits. It is a reminder how important such simple things are in life. I love that (M.B.) has kept music a part of his daily existence. I sometimes think I live vicariously through him as I wonder about me being a band member joining his band in the local English pub and sharing a pint after a good jam session. Even writing that puts a smile on my face.

Up until a few years ago, (M.B.) was still using a typewriter to write his letters. I love that his typewriter had certain keys that just didn’t have any life yet to give, so we just missed out on those letters. (M.B.) shares the weather, is diligent with writing and also talks about his hobbies like building miniature ships in bottles. Some may think we have nothing in common but I believe we do. We have friendship. We have honesty and good down to earth care for another human being in the world. (M.B.) has LOTS of pen-pals and I imagine he is as diligent with them as he is with me. I value his insight into life, his ability to put up with my terrible grammar and sentence structure, along with my hum-drum banter for life. (M.B.) lives a nice real life, no glorious castles, no Sean Connery looks, no jet-setting trips but that is what I value about him. He is who he is and is happy with what life offers. He finds joy in simple connections and does not believe that all those previous things make a person better. Thank you (M.B.) for just being you; for being my friend, for enjoying music, pints of beer and chats about weather. You are a dear person to me.

 

This is Day 13 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. If you want to follow along with all of us “challengers”, click on their links below. We are a third of the way there and it is hard, hard work to try and be creative each day. We appreciate you reading along with us.

 

Liam ~ Natasha ~ Zita ~ Peter ~ Christine ~ Cliff ~ Hethr ~ April ~Karen ~ Kim

 

Day 4 – Connections with People You’ve Never Met

 

Many years ago, there was a television show on the weekend first thing in the morning called Wide World or something like that. One might ask – what does that have to do with people and the connection they have had with me? Well back in the day when I was a grade three student, I wrote in to the show and asked to get a pen-pal. This was something they set up for children.  I thought it would be great to write to someone else and learn about them. I had never done this before but was excited and waited patiently. I did receive a letter from a little girl similar in age who lived in New Jersey, U.S.A. This person (J.P.) became my kindred pen-pal. We wrote little girl letters back and forth and this occurred for years. In fact I am still in touch with her.

There was nothing better than going to the mailbox and being able to cheer loudly:

Our pen-pal letters shared the childhood stories of who we liked, what we had been up to, family stuff, hobbies, how school was going and if we had been on holidays etc. Most pen-pals fizzle out, even more so when your likes and hobbies are so different. My pen-pal, (J.P.), LOVES horses and had her own, competed and also shared that love with most of the people around her. Anyone that knows me so knows I am not a horse girl…majestic animals but highly allergic to them. Go figure!

(J.P.) is special to me as she has been part of my life since grade three. That is over 30 years of my life!!! Even more amazing; we have never met, not once. We have moved out on our own, travelled, gone to University, gotten married, bought homes, had family deaths and births and through ALL of this we just continue to write. Sometimes more, sometimes less but always connected.

Who can say they have this in their life and for so long – probably not many. (J.P.) has shared happiness, love, her successes, failures and most of all she has been patience with me ….yes I am sure sometimes my letters were trying to read through my defiant teen years but she has always kept that connection. I am amazed by that. (J.P.) you are special to me and while many may think it is crazy – I have EVERY letter you have sent to me for 30 years. One day, I will scrapbook them and share it with you when we are old ladies, sipping Tequila Sunrises somewhere together. We someday will meet and what a true joy that moment will be when I can thank you in person for the joy you have brought to my life – more than you will ever know. Until then – THANK YOU for years, and years and more years of special friendship. I am lucky!

 

 

Please follow along with the other challengers on this amazing 30 day blogging challenge.

Liam ~ Natasha ~ Zita ~ MagzD ~ Peter ~ Christine ~ Cliff ~ Hethr ~ April