Thought miles

Yesterday was a good friend's birthday. I thought of her and I wrote a card. She lives in England so it isn't going to get there for at least a week. It has to fly there in a plane because I sent it airmail. I am contributing to the destruction of the planet by sending greetings around the world.

The phone doesn't really work because we are annoyingly half a day apart. When I am sitting down to relax with a glass of pinot and Coronation Street, she is heading out of the door to work, after preparing the kids' breakfasts and taking them to school. Much though she would love to sit down and chat, I'm sure it's the last thing she has time for in her hectic maternal schedule.

And a letter is so much better than an email or a text. When I was a child my aunt travelled to exotic locales and I used to love receiving envelopes or crinkly airmail letters covered with her distinctive handwriting and clourful stamps often with arabic language I couldn't understand printed across them. Without meaning to be naff, I pictured them bringing sunshine into my life in so many ways. I've kept them all in shoeboxes and the memories spring out when I release the lid.

And so I know that it is not cost effective, economically sound or environmentally conscious to tell my friends back in England that I miss them and I love them and that they are in my thoughts. But I will continue to do so because yes, we may only have one planet, but without true friendship in our lives, it wouldn't be a world worth living in.

Thought Miles

My morning is your night before.
When I’m out drinking
You’re starting work,
And I seldom call or write,
But I often think of you:

When I have a carpet picnic
Sitting cross-legged on the floor
With crisps and taramasalata,
Hiding from the rain and the world;

When we’re driving in the car
Singing along to The Primitives,
Hair blowing everywhere
And passing the time with ‘which is better…?’

When it takes hours to choose
A film to watch that night
Drama or action thriller,
That we’ll talk through anyway;

When I tell stories
About my history and background
Friends and influences
That made me who I am.

If you could read my mind
You’d know you’re always there,
But if I forget to tell you
I hope that you read this instead.
And know I think of you.