Post Card Saturday

Here we are again - Post Card Saturday! I had intended to post some awesome pictures of some of The Most Awesome Students Ever yesterday, but ended up at a party. So tomorrow for sure. 'Cause yesterday was Awesome!

However, it is time for Post Card Saturday, and here we are, today's offering:

From New London, Connecticut, apparently. Here is the "big picture" of the back. There's a blurb about the front picture, as you can see. The address, once again... Lol. Just a box number, city, and state. 

Here's the postmark, and the reason I chose this card today. The postmark is 1952. I'll explain when I get the message, ha ha!



Because here's the message! As best I can tell it says...

                                             21 Randall St.
                                                       Groton, Conn.
Hi,
Was so glad we got to see you and Mother Pittenger. I kept my fingers crossed until we finally made it. Will write later. Don't have much time now. Wanted you to know we made it. (star or something?)
Love to all,
Leona (?), Leo, and Yvonne

The reason this one made me think is because, well, there I was, taking pictures of it with my phone. Yes - my phone. The one I can call anywhere in the world on, at any time (more or less). We just take it so for granted now, everyone has a phone, it's nearly impossible not to stay in touch if you have even the tiniest desire to do so.

So many of the post cards I've put here have been much older than this one, by a couple of decades or more. But even here, in 1952, the primary means of private communication was still - written. Letters, post cards, and the like. Imagine sending someone off on a long trip somewhere, someone you care about. Basically you just had to trust they got there. 

Sure, stuff mailed in the US might make it in a few days or so. But that's still a few days you have to wait to find out if the person you cared about made it home, or to their new hotel, or over the mountains, or across the country, and so on... And that's even *if* they sent the post card or letter *immediately* after they arrived. Just think if they were on a voyage across the ocean! 

Sure there were telegraphs, but I am thinking those were really expensive and rare to send. Meaning that you might wait *weeks* for someone to get where they were going, and then even *longer* for the letter or card to reach you.

Patience, Darling. Surely a letter will come today. How many times did loved ones think that to themselves? Because honestly, there was just nothing they else they could do. I go back to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Those pioneers packed up a wagon and set off across the country, and probably more often than not, never heard from or saw some of their families again. 

So two things to take from this, as far as I see it.

1. Have Patience. Sometimes all you can do is wait anyway, so don't spend so much time worrying until you have something to worry about.

2. Don't take for granted any time you get to spend with people you care about. Once they leave your presence, there's no telling what could happen. 

Wow - didn't mean for this to become such a downer, lol. But yeah, this postcard made me think, what can I say? 

:)