It seems that “two weeks ago me” was very practical, thinking of what I need up to the last minute before we leave and as soon as possible when we arrive to our new house, I airmailed the computer, and at the bottom of the box I found a small box of cards with inspirational words on each of them, which I forgot to send with all the other stuff, but did not want to part from. I completely forgot I put them in, and it made me smile finding them. I actually never used it, I just enjoyed thinking of “2 weeks ago me” putting it in, knowing that “present me” would probably do the same. I guess I did not changed much in the past two weeks.

The second delivery was marine shipped by “two months ago me” and was made of 4 big boxes with our personal items, mostly cloths, and a tent, which I hope we will use. “two months ago me” was thinking for the long run, how to make our life easier, what we will need and what will make us happy. This could have been great if it was not tainted by the thoughts of “present me” that we could have saved the small fortune it cost us to send all of this, and buy new things, while knowing very well we probably would have used that money to buy groceries.

So I’m still not sure what I think of this delivery, I know I’m a little upset with “two months ago me” for not checking what will it all cost, but just a little, as I know “present me” would do the same.

And last, but not list, was what “three years ago me” kept behind. Everything was locked in one room in our old house, that now we came back to live in. Along side of furniture, pots and pans, cloths and books, was a huge stash of crafting materials that I did not have the heart to throw away. Colors and brushes of course, but also old books, used postcards, pieces of fabric, broken jewelries and found objects that I collected over the years, in short – garbage, or as I call it -  treasures.

Going through the boxes I feel like a child opening birthday presents, thinking what I can make from all of these, remembering things I forgot I had, and refinding things I was missing for 3 years. Going over all of this I feel how much I love “three years ago me” for thinking of me, and realizing she must have loved me too. I wish I could tell her that, though I think she knows. I’m sorry I can’t send a package to the past, she deserve something too.

D.

Thank you Clarissa. I completely forgot about penpals. I used to have a few when I was a young adult, and with some I was corresponding for a few years. Eventually, probably as my studies demanded more time and attention, the letters stopped.

For years I kept those letters although I didn’t go back to read in them quite often. I guess they seemed too childish to the more grownup me.

I don’t know when exactly I lost or tossed them, but they are all gone now, and to tell you the truth, I’m not that interested in what was in them anymore. What I would really love to read is actually the letters I wrote and send to my penpals. I think they will tell me a lot about my old self. Maybe I would find out things about me I did not remember or even didn’t knew at the time.

I guess it will be a good idea for the future to keep a photocopy or a scan of the letters we work so hard on. We might not find any interest in them after they went out, but I can imagine my children wanting to read them after I’m gone.

After all, our letters are much about us as they are about the ones we write to, maybe even more so.