I think that one of the things that I'm most passionate about (other than card-making) is travel. I've lived and worked in Europe, visited New Zealand and Australia, spent time in Morocco on a Fulbright Teacher Exchange, visited my father's native Norway, and last December, I shared a lovely vacation with family in Hawaii. If you travel at all, you're bound to create a network of pen pals that make being a card maker extra special. We were due to take a cruise to Alaska in May, but that didn't happen and travel anywhere isn't really possible right now.
But I've discovered there is a silver lining to COVID, aside from a lot of time to make cards and reconnect with friends via snail mail and Facebook . I've also been in a relentless down-sizing mode during the pandemic, working my way through boxes of old journals, letters, and photo albums - trying to sort through what's precious and irreplaceable and those things that can be tossed, recycled or donated.
Perhaps the most precious have been the letters. I found letters my mother saved that I wrote when I was in Norway at age 12. I found wonderful letters from friends I haven't seen in eons as well as more recent ones from former students and coworkers. Some made me laugh. Some made me cry. And it has encouraged me to write people more often, real letters that can be held and reread. I encourage you to do the same. Send a card with a personal message. Make someone's day!