Across The Miles

   Little did I know that when I joined a pen pal club I’d not only find a great pen pal, but also an “adopted sister” as well. A woman from Australia was one of my first pen pals.

   At first we’d just exchange emails. Later on, we would send letters by snail mail. As time went by, we started to send gifts to each other. The first gift I sent was a stuffed bear for her daughter, who happens to be in a wheelchair. My friend has sent many gifts from her native Australia. These gifts would include things for my husband and grandchildren.

   Because my husband suffers from MS and her daughter is handicapped, we would discuss how to cope with loved ones facing life challenges. After a few months, my friend would start her emails: Hi; this is your sis from Australia.

   A couple of years ago I was found to have a growth inside my brain that required me to have surgery in order to remove it. Although the growth was pressing on an artery, which could’ve caused problems if not removed, by the grace of God it wasn’t cancer. Although my friend wasn’t there in person, she was there in spirit in many ways through her emails, cards, and letters. They always brought a smile to my face. She also made me feel better about losing my hair, which had to be shaved in order to have the surgery. About six months after my ordeal, my friend also started to have some health issues. I sent her cards and letters, as well as a cross that I was wearing during my surgery. My friend is also in much better health, and I hope that I helped her the same way that she helped me.

   In the last six months, we’ve started to talk to each other over the phone. What a nice feeling it is to hear a person’s voice that has helped you through many problems. Also, we have exchanged pictures of each other’s families, homes, and the areas of the world that each of us live in.

   I do have three sisters that live within three hours from me, but I never hear from them. My older sister never even called me when I went through my surgery, so it is really hard to think of her as a sister. Because of this, my friend means the world to me. Although neither one of us can afford to travel to the other’s country at the present time, one day we will get to meet in person.