“The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.”
-Mary E. Pearson, The Miles Between
It’s like going back in time. The Antique Depot in Duncansville, Pennsylvania is a remarkable trip down memory lane. For anyone that is pining away for the old days, all you need to do is go for a walk through this cavernous warehouse, and the memories will come flooding back for everyone from baby-boomers to millenials.
Like most antique places there are hidden gems nestled in various nooks and crannies throughout. Though easily distracted by the assortment of plastic light up Santas or the extensive collection of vinyl records with fabulous album covers, if you dedicate time to searching for that special treasure, you can usually find it. And, if you are lucky enough, get a glimpse of life from long ago.
One day while shopping I found myself going through a box of old postcards. My first thought was, why would anyone want to buy a picturesque correspondence between two people they most likely did not know? Funny thing was, the more I read, the more fascinated I became, especially with a handful of cards from my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.
I was especially intrigued with a postcard written from a father to his daughter. On the front was a painting of Cleveland’s New Union Station, better known today as The Terminal Tower, the most recognizable landmark in the city. On the back was a message written in cursive with a pencil and dated May 2, 1927. It was a very simple greeting and directive that said, “Hello Eloise, be a good Girl. Dad.”
A most beautiful snapshot of the relationship between a father and daughter from just over ninety-five years ago. As a kid I remember the excitement of getting and sending postcards. They were simple gestures that let those we loved know that they were in our thoughts as we traveled or vacationed. Sadly, postcards have become vestiges of affection in this current world of technology, and that’s unfortunate. Another sign that we have embraced quantity over quality when it comes to how we communicate.
Today we are inundated with a constant stream of information. The ability to communicate is both instantaneous and impersonsonal at the same time. Ninety-five years from now I doubt anybody will be looking through correspondences in the “cloud.” Of course, thanks to modern technology, we can do cool things like zoom or facetime from all over the globe. The number of different ways to communicate can at times be overwhelming because it is so effortless. A postcard took time and effort. Much more so than just pressing send.
If you asked my daughters Bridgid, Maggie, and Jane how often I communicate with each of them, they would likely say at least once every day. The obvious preference for me would be in-person, but as they grow older, that gets less and less with each year that passes. Like most fathers, I think of my children often throughout the day. They are never far from my mind. I hope that when I am gone they know that. Luckily for Eloise her Dad understood the joy a simple postcard brought in delivering such an important message.
-Tommy O’Sionnach
Good stuff Tom
Love you dad ❤️