From China with Love

I may have mentioned this before, but I love postcards!  Probably, since the first time I received one before I was 5.  When I locate that one, I know I still have it.  I will be sure to *feature* it.  (it was from mom & dad when they went to Disneyland without me!!!) 

Before the internet, I relied on friends & family to send me postcards telling me how they wished I was there.  Then I discovered postcard pen pal groups, postcard magazines ... and there were Postcard "shows"!!!  That's right!  Imagine going to one of those!!!  *sigh*  ... those are only such luxuries you might find in the big city ... and well, dragging my husband & kids an hour to go to a postcard show is not on any of my visible horizons.  But, ah! computers and access to html & lists of groups were more accessible.  You could print out names & addresses of people in different countries who had specific postcard interests!!!  (Postcards of covered bridges, waterfalls, super heroes, landscapes, space - oh the lists were endless!)  I made friends with people I had never met through the common interest of postcards.  How bizarre!  Well, not to me, but eventually I couldn't keep up to the numerous amount of friends I had made & requests.  

Speed ahead to the World Wide Web... and google.   And, voila!  I found the perfect group.  Postcrossing the Postcard Crossing Project.  An in-evasive way to exchange postcards & make a few good friends along the way.

excerpts from the website:

"The project

The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world."

How it works:

"First, the short version:

1. request an address from the website
2. mail the postcard to the address
3. wait to receive a postcard
4. register the received postcard in the system"

 Now, just what you've been waiting to see - a Postcard!!!

 

Oh!  So lovely!  Generally, postcrossing is very easy.  We have ID#s to track our travelling postcards.  But, in this particular case, I could not seem to identify the ID# to go with my profile ... which basically means, I was unable to thank the wonderful person who sent this adorable card to me.  

 

So, I do know that this cute card came from China, and I do know that the sender is kind & thoughtful.  I'll repeat the inspiring message,

"Love is a lamp.  While friendship is the shadow.

When the lamp is off, 

You will find the shadow everywhere

Friend is who can give you strength at last."

Unfortunately, I cannot read Chinese characters, so I don't even know the sender's name.  But whoever and wherever you are, I thank you for your kinds words and the sweetest little pandas.