Motivation

This week, during my second visit to the Waltham Post Office, a postal worker smiled at me, and I politely smiled back and went back to filling out-- yet again-- the 2976A Customs Form. I had that feeling.. you know, when you can tell someone is debating whether to ask a question (usually for directions, or if you've met before). When I looked up, he simply said "God bless you, and tell that lucky solider that we thank him and stand behind him."

I stayed a few more minutes as he told me stories about serving in Vietnam, and he quickly and completely reassured me that I shouldn't worry so much about the little things-- like whether my letters are silly (what I burned in the kitchen) or uninteresting (what I'm learning in grad school), or if my packages ever get boring or repetitive. He told me something that put a smile on my face, kept it there all day, and was quickly sent right through the phoneline to my wonderful friend "R" as well!

He said: "To a soldier, hearing your name at mail-call is like hearing I Love You for the first time. It can make-or-break your spirit, especially on tough days. If your name is called, you feel like a God".

I started into a "but what if..." but before I could get another word out, he jumped in and said "It doesn't matter what you send. If you sent cookies and they arrived as a bag of crumbs, they taste like home-made cookies on a snowday. You can send a letter with nothing more than 'Hi!' written on it, and it will make his day."

So, while I have my bases covered on those last two scenarios (see Cookies and Writers Block), these words were so comforting, a welcome surprise, and are an incredible first-hand source of motivation.

Bottom Line: Find 5 minutes in your day or week and write a letter to your soldier! XO