I came in the office this morning and found a mail on my table! It's a Christmas greeting from a friend in Kyrgyzstan. Made me smile.

It always warms my heart to get a snail mail. Never mind the long wait. It's the thought of having someone take time to pen down some thoughts on a paper, put a stamp on the envelope, and drop it in the post office that counts. It takes time - that's why it's always valued.

I remember how elated I get when I receive letters and snail mails in high school (we didn't have internet yet in town that time). Regardless of content and some messy handwriting - letters, personal cards, and snail mail always make my day bright. I remember those scented stationeries, those corny love words, quotes and promises (copied from books or movies or from someone else!) from boy friends in high school who wanted to impress by trying to sound like a poet. Haha. I remember wearing a big grin and jumping in my head every time Mr. Postman drops by our house and waves his hand with a mail and shouts, "Aurelia Castro!"

Oh, those were the days...

Now with internet, I can send and get messages in an instant. I maintain and share a blog in an attempt to stay connected with people dear to me who are working, sleeping, and living in different parts of this world. Yet no matter how glued I am now with computer and all those instant things, I always try to go back to the old way of sending my thoughts to my family and friends via snail mail. It makes me slow down and teaches me again what thoughtfulness means.

I mailed a number of letters the other week. My office friend saw me put the stamps and she wore a surprised look in her eyes. "You still do snail mail? You don't use email?" For a moment, I felt so old-fashioned. But I was so happy to be so.

After all, it's the oldies that bring me back close to home, close to my heart.