When I left for the Army, an uncertain adventure awaited me. Fort Jackson was far away from home, I was surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar environment, and I had to adapt to a whole new regimen. But what kept me going was the five minute phone call I could make on Sunday to my family, and the cards and letters I received from them and my friends. I’ll never forget how a friend had her one year old son scribble on a paper, my Dad’s weekly handwritten note keeping me updated on how my cats were doing, and the home made birthday card Lynda Zindash sent of the Pillsbury Doughboy wearing sunglasses. It was reassuring to know people cared and I meant enough to them to stay in touch. I kept all of those things until 2004 when my home was flooded in Hurricane Ivan. My Army keepsakes were in a container in my basement and were ruined by muddy water. I had to toss it all out. And losing those things was more heartbreaking than throwing out my water logged furniture. Those items I could replace. A reminder of someone’s love for you, you can’t.

The world is still reeling from the pandemic, there is a war in Ukraine, and Israel is in turmoil. The U.S. economy is stretched very thin and a lot of people are wondering how they are going to pay bills and afford Christmas gifts. This may not work for everyone, but if your funds are low, you can always give someone a letter letting them know how much they mean to you or framing a picture of you with them. And while I agree that having the latest iphone is cool and a sweater is a nice gift, technology is soon outdated and the latest fashions go out of style quickly. But knowing you are loved and appreciated goes a long way and lasts much longer.