Okay, I admit it. I collect postcards. No I don't mean I go out and buy them and put them in books. No, I don't go out and buy old postcards that others have written. What I do collect is postcards from friends. When people go away they often want to bring home some part of their experience to share with the people they left behind. Seems everyone takes pictures, buys shirts, or some other little thing that eventually gets lost among your belongings. However, when friends go away I ask for one thing - a postcard.

For me postcards do a few things. One, it means the person actually thought enough of me to bring my address with them, find a card they liked, and a stamp, and mailed it to me. Two, it shows me where they went. Three, it allows me to share that event with them.

Now postcards also give me a list of where people have been. Sometimes it is just interesting to dig out my collection and look and see where people have gone, done, and visited. Sometimes when I have money and time on my hands I take them out and flip through them, deciding where I too would like to vacation. Ever wonder what is in Maine? Where a great place to eat is in Florida? How about finding a really great book store in Connecticut? A museum of art work that can blow your mind in California? I have friends in Germany who have sent me postcards from Geneva when they went on vacation.

Today I got a very special postcard. It is from Paris from a friend on GA, Bleu. The picture on the postcard is spectacular but again what makes this even more special for me is that he took the time to pick it out, write on it, and send it to me.

I wonder how many other people collect something that means so much because it comes from others? Anyone care to share?