Love letters

My grandmother was always a very busy and loving woman.

I didn't get to see her often, as she and my Grandfather lived in Germany where he served as a Baptist Minister.

During her extended stays while visiting our house, she was helpful with the cooking and ironing. She was also very good at sniffing out cluttered drawers or closets.

It was also a common scene to see her sitting at the kitchen table, writing amongst stacks of stationary and rolls of stamps.

"What are you doing?" I'd ask coming over to take a look.

"Writing a letter," she'd reply.

Indeed she was. Looking to the top of the letter in her hand, I read the word "Greetings..." which was how she began each of her letters. Next to this word she would place lots of stickers showing floral bouquets. In those days they were not the self-stick kind of stickers. You had to lick the back first. I can still remember their gluey tang. She had tons of them.

"To who are you writing a letter?"

"Someone who's in the hospital."

Content with her reply, I'd leave her to her writing.

A half hour later, I'd see her still writing.

"Is that the same letter?" I inquired.

"No, this is another one."

"To who?" I'd ask. I was a very nosey child.

"My friend."

"Is this friend in the hospital too?"

Without looking up and without breaking stride with her pen she replied...

"No, but this friend lives alone."

An so, this would go on all afternoon. By the time she was done, there were many sealed envelopes addressed to various countries overseas plus some going to the States. These envelopes too, were abundantly well stickered.

It was an enigma of sorts to me, a little girl, as to why she spent hours each day, writing all those letters when there were other fun things to do, like watch T.V., or play outside. And of course, there was the expense, as she was forever purchasing more stationary, more stamps, and more booklets of those beautiful little stickers.

Then at last, I remember the day I finally asked her...

"Do you write letters to EVERYBODY?"

"No," she answered.

"Then who do you write all these letters to?"

"I have alot of friends who either live alone at home, or are in a rest home. And then there are those who have to stay in the hospital for a very long time."

Still not satisfied, I decided to press her further.

"But why do you have to write them all letters?"

My Grandmother finally looked up from her writing and said to me...

"These are very loney people and everyone deserves to get a letter from time to time. Letters bring memories of happiness and friendship."

Then she said something to me that I will never forget, ... ever.

She said...

"I write them a letter... so that they at least get one."

~*~*~*