From time to time I like to send snail mail or packages to people. There are of course the expected occasions – Christmas, birthdays, graduations – but my favorites are more spontaneous in nature. Often times the mail I send is impulsive – spurred by the fact that I just happened upon something small and mailable that made me think of the person in question. I call it ‘Serendipitous Dispatch’. It should come as no surprise then that most packages sent from my home are en route to my nephews and nieces whose age and enthusiasm make cheap, little surprises so easy to succeed with.
As I thought about it yesterday, I realized my packages have become increasingly themed and correspond generally with seasons or holidays. I sent a package to my nephews at Halloween, for instance. Then Christmas. Then, something very small, at Easter. And there were little prizes for Fall, Winter, now Summer…
Sometimes I’ll save a growing collection of things for a while and then bundle it all up and ship it. Other times, I’ve gathered the components quickly. In either case, I usually try to keep the items light and cheap spending the most on shipping OR cram everything I can into a small or medium priority box. I learned my lesson at Christmas on that one. Shipping is f*ing CRAZY otherwise. Truly it has gotten out of control – – $40+ to ship a 7lb box?!
I learned long ago that to do this is to create happiness in a vacuum. Rarely do I hear back afterwards. In fact, I likely wouldn’t know if it never got delivered. But as someone guilty of such receipt myself I understand and accept that it comes with the territory. It doesn’t mean the mail isn’t appreciated or enjoyed just that they’re busy living. And in the end I enjoy sending them.
Boom Goes the Dynamite 