Avid Inkling

The announcements arrived by UPS today. 200 of them, letter pressed on thick creamy cotton paper, the periwinkle and light gray ink perfectly set, they were perfect, everything I ever could have dreamed of… then I noticed they needed to be folded.

The folding process was amusing, although they folded easily, they refused to lay flat once folded. The announcements would spring up taking on a life of their own not wanting to stay with the others, or be confined to an envelope.

Looking over the sea of announcements, paper, labels, stamps and other wedding paraphernalia on the desk, I feel confident that I have done my part to help diminish several hectares of old hard wood Amazonian Rain Forest.

I wonder what Mama would think if she saw how her formal dining room table was being used. I would like to think she would be pleased that it was being frequently, actively and uniquely used. I remember Easters and Thanksgivings at that table while it was still in the home on 88 North Wren, and Dad talking about how he wasn’t allowed in the same room as the regal mahogany set until he was in his teens.

Today it has under gone several uses, it has been used to cut sewing patters for Renaissance Costumes, hold Mary Kay facials classes, host a Sweet 16 Formal Dinner where we all dressed up like it was Prom, and numerous Family Gatherings at the Appropriate Holidays. It has been used to hold, sort, and file any number of important documents, Financial Aid for college, taxes every April. Now it is being used as the Head Quarters for my the undertaking of over 160 Announcements (Mom is still working on her lists).

As I stuffed envelopes I looked at addresses, I’m willing to bet about 1/3 of the people getting them are people that I’ve never met, or met but don’t remember meeting. Other names look familiar because they send Christmas letters every year talking about their child’s accomplishments, although I’ve never met them, or their children, I still cringe as their third grader takes on more in the month of May then I take on in a year.

It is a unique and varied list of people that announcements are going out to, there are cousins, second cousins, and distantly related some how cousins. Then there are a few former Sunday School teachers who got all the tough questions, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” and “Does the church have an official political stance?”

The inspiring professors who made my years at college memorable, a token high school teacher who managed to make the four years slightly more bearable, a former mayor, a minor diplomat or two, some millionaires and some rather broke college students. A few former “best friends for ever,” former coworkers, employers, and friends. College friends, wonderful roommates, and people who made a difference are scattered among those that my parents felt should be on the list.

The envelopes filled quickly, and I was left fighting the urge to slip little personalized notes into a few of them to thank special people who had made a difference in my life. I think I’ll refrain and send them little notes at Christmas.