what a wonderful thing is the mail, capable of conveying across continents a warm human hand-clasp. ~author unknown
as i watched team u.s.a. hold their ground tonight against portugal
it reminded me of where i was 20 years ago.
it was 1994
and somehow
i talked my boss where i was an advertising intern during the day,
and my boss at the hotel where i worked as a cocktail waitress at night,
and my professors where i was taking classes at all hours,
and my ex-husband who i shared my daughter-time with,
into agreeing to work around my special schedule for a few weeks.
——
i applied to work at the 1994 fifa world cup here in detroit.
4 matches would be played on my turf.
i told fifa i would love to do it
before i had negotiated any time off
but
i knew it would be a once in a lifetime extraordinary experience
that i would find a way to do it
and then it became a reality.
—-
my job was to work in press operations in the media center.
helping the press with credentials, schedules, seats. access and information.
we were taught about the nuances of soccer
the role of the press
how to deal with the passionate fans
and the customs and languages of the countries participating
learning helpful things like:
‘if a russian offers you a shot of vodka, it’s an insult to say no, so you’ll have to find a diplomatic way to do so.’
i met so many enthusiastic fans along the way
and also
interesting press from all around the world.
—-
on my first day,
a photojournalist
based in hong kong
working for the french press
of dutch and italian descent
walked in.
he was smiling
as i gave him his credentials,
answered his questions
and told him to enjoy the games.
later that night
i left the media center
and turned back into
a cocktail waitress.
as i approached a table
a man turned around
i saw it was the journalist i had met earlier in the day.
we were surprised to see each other again
he told me some of the press corps were staying at my hotel.
i told him i worked there on some nights.
very, very small world.
we parted ways when his group left for the night.
—
each day at the world cup was a new adventure
i was able to see the matches
and enjoy the frenzied air of competition and excitement.
and many times
out of 78,000 people
the journo and i kept crossing paths
in unlikely places.
—
between his schedule and mine
and ever changing locations
and job commitments
and no cell phones
and no computer
we kept trying to set up a time and place
to meet away from the stadium
when neither of us was working
to have a real conversation.
—
finally
it was his last night here
and the final match in detroit was being played.
i was finished in the media tent for the day
we planned to meet at a local bar
after he filed his report.
i went to the bar
and found the brazilian fans there celebrating
it was total madness and fun and frolic
and then
the police came
and shut down the bar
for the first time
in history.
the brazilians’ exuberant and intense enthusiasm
had somehow overflowed
to the outside
they were dancing
a samba line
down woodward avenue
a major thoroughfare in the detroit area.
the bar was done for the night
and the crowd dispersed.
—
we were never able to find each other that night
we had no backup plan
for a place to meet
we went our separate ways
armed with addresses
and the beginning of a friendship.
i went back to my jobs/school/life
he continued on with his assignments
and flew back to hong kong.
—
we began to write letters
and we have been pen pals for 20 years now (almost 30 now)
we send hand-written letters
and postcards
back and forth from all over the world
we’ve gone through life together on paper
relationships, family, jobs, moving, school, vacations
and stayed friends
who never dated each other
maybe one day
we’ll find ourselves in the same country once more
at the same time.
and we can continue our conversation.
—
There is no distance too far between friends, for friendship gives wings to the heart.
– author unknown
I love that. I was a letter-writer for most of my adult life, keeping in contact with friends who had moved away, former teachers, former work colleagues. Then some years after I retired, I hurt my right wrist badly, and could no longer hold a pen properly to write anything for very long. So now I email those same people, but it never feels the same as sealing and posting a letter.
Best wishes, Pete.
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glad you’re staying connected, that’s important, and I’ve always just loved hand written letters
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Wow! This is so wonderful, Beth.
(You’ve got a movie here–though you’ll have to meet in person once again.) 🙂
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everything is possible
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A delightful read, Beth. One day, maybe.
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who knows?
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That’s an amazing story of long distance friendship. And letter writing. And connection. Wow!
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it is just amazing looking back at it all
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My heart was deeply moved by this story. In our busy technological world, the art of letter writing has been displaced. I miss receiving correspondence in the good old mail. Two years ago, I decided to write some of my friends with whom we only keep in touch by social media. I received the promise to write me a letter, which has yet to happen, and one person saying we should connect by phone. Sadly, I received no response from the rest of them. My heart is full knowing that somebody out there “still gets it“.
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it seems to be rare in these days of social media
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Oh, my Beth. How lucky you are to have kept a letter writing friend for this long. I am envious…
A perfect example of pen paling. Again, how lucky you two made such a lovely connection.
I adore this story. Thanks for sharing it with me today. May it continue for longer…
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my pleasure
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this is super cool, Beth! ❤
Much love,
David
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thanks, David
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Cheers to friendship and the power of the written word, Beth.
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here’s to that!
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What a wonderful story about the connection between friends and that distance does not have any impact on it. Really wonderful!
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so glad you enjoyed, it, Erika
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Absolutely, it was very moving!
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Why not do something overt now to make a meeting happen? It could be where either of you is or somewhere in between. You wouldn’t want to keep putting it off till it’s too late. Apropos, you may have seen this:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/pen-pals-finally-get-to-meet-in-person-68-years-after-they-began-writing-letters-back-and-forth/
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I just let it unfold as it’s meant to, maybe it will happen, maybe not. it would be fun though. thanks for the link, I didn’t know that story
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Nice
Sent from my iPhone
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thanks!
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Great story. Email just isn’t the same thing. It’s okay, but a letter is a special thing.
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yes, a very different level
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What a great story! Also, looks like no Russians were harmed 🙂
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just some feelings perhaps
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Great story. The stuff of movies. That photo took me back. I collected stamps as a kid. And the letters I wrote back then! Endless pages, 10-15 easily. But none with a backstory as interesting as yours.
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What a sweet story.
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thanks, sadje
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You’re most welcome
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I am a BIG sender of postcards, and love receiving them too. I have hundreds which tell quite a story of travel, and they all bring me joy reading them over from time to time.
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wonderful!
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A wonderful re-post. I am part of the dwindling letter writer clan. Unfortunately a letter I mailed to my son across the country on August 9th has still not arrived.
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glad to know there is at least one other person in my clan. now the post service people, I’m always amazed how a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it, and a precariously licked stamp can travel and get to where it’s intended to go, at least some of the time. it’s like voodoo. postcards that I sent to my family from Costa Rica may never arrive or if they do, we will all be pleasantly shocked.
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And when you consider how cheap the postage stamp actually is, it seems like a miracle.
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just fingers crossed and off it goes
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What a lovely story of a true friendship.
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we really grew into friends through the mail
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This is wonderful! ❤️
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thanks, Martha
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I LOVE this story, Beth. There is no greater medicine than the power of human connection. The ability to connect with people instantly through modern technology is a luxury, but nothing beats a letter. I’m one of the few people who defends the post office. I think it’s remarkable that we can send something besides a text message across the country in a few days so cheaply when everything costs a fortune these days.
I sure hope you get to meet in person, eventually.
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it’s like magic and maybe we will )
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My goodness, my heart is full. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, Beth. Writing letters and pen pals are the best (as we both know 🥰.)
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Yes, I know we both agree with this)
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❤️
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What a wonderful story. You have to make a date to meet somewhere in the world, before it’s too late. Do it. Absolutely do it.
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❤️
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What a fantastic story, Beth! I love that you have remained penpals all this time. I so very much hope you find yourselves in the same place at the same time – with no jobs or overexuberant Brazilians to interfere!
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who knows? anything is possible?
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This is true!
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This is a true story, Beth? It’s so amazing!!! How have you never met again in person in all this time? How often do you write each other. Are there feelings there? This is the stuff Disney movies are made of!
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we’ve been friends for so long, only feelings of friendship. yes, all true, and I posted a while back that one of his professional photos turned up at my school on a research report that one of the 4th or 5th graders had done. so funny
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That’s amazing!
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we usually write or send cards 2 or 3 times a year now
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Must be so delightful every time they arrive.
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always a nice surprise
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For both of you, no doubt.
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Oh my goodness. I love this story so much. I remember writing letters to a pen pal I had in Germany for years until we lost touch. Text and email are just not the same. I may just have to take it up again. I am also inspired by your determination to help at the World Cup. If we don’t fight for the memorable moments we may just miss out on a memorable life.
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I hope that you do! yes, sometimes, opportunity knocks and we just have to answer )
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