tattered but loved

I admit, I am not the most techy of persons.  At the risk of revealing my age, I did not grow up with computers.  Instead, I loved writing letters.  And receiving them!  My two elder brothers are almost a decade older than me and when they left home, I was tasked with reporting the family news.  We had pen pals in those days too - I lived in a small town but I wanted to see the world.  And my pen pals took me on the road.

Decluttering and tidying, I came upon my little school bag I used to carry when I was in primary school.  Its old and tattered, has lost several pieces of hardware but I can't bear to throw it out.  It reminds me of where I came from, and its kept my old letters in there for more than 30 years.  Lovingly and beautifully written letters from my dad when I was abroad, from my brothers, from my best friend who moved away, from pen pals, or simply from friends who didn't have a better way to tell me the latest news.

I've seen a bit of the world with my own eyes now, and about to go around the world with my family.  I feel a little sorry my daughters won't be writing letters.  Instead, they'll be sending emails and updating family and friends via blogs.

Times have indeed changed.  But I think I'll hang on to my little bag for a little while longer.  Who knows, I may still get a letter or two.