My grandmother used to tell me when I was little that it doesn't cost a thing to smile. The older I've gotten, the more I've realized just how extremely true that is. With everything going on in the world, we could all use a smile. And sometimes, the best smiles are found by mistake.
About two weeks ago, my family and I took a vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. One day, we decided to take a break from the beach and visit a small town a few miles down the road. When I say small town, I mean a small. town. Walking down a narrow dusty road (that absolutely should NOT be two-way), we were greeted by a few locally owned shops, a small but perfectly functioning day school and a book shop (that also sold literary inspired sweatshirts) tucked away behind some trees.
After exploring this hidden gem for the better part of the afternoon, the humidity decided to make itself known and we started to head back to the car. About a minute into our journey back to air conditioned civilization, something caught our eye. In a town of little color, seeing a pink mailbox on the corner of the road seemed anything but ordinary. On the side were painted the words "Love Letters" in cursive writing that looked like it was straight from an 18th century diary with small doodle-esque flowers in the corner, like the ones that would surround your crush's name in a journal written oh so subtly over your class notes. Just looking at the front of the mailbox, my mind had already conjured up Nicholas Sparks' next novel: Inside were letters from unrequited lovers, those admitting their love to someone in their life after all these years, only to be somehow delivered right to each doorstep and bring distant unaware lovers together...
I decided to take a peek inside. After all, it's not everyday you come across a seemingly out of place mailbox that holds love letters. When I opened the paint-chipped door, I could not have been happier to have been proven wrong.
Yes, inside were letters. Some scribbled on loose-leaf, others on perfectly folded parchment paper. There were a handful of letters scattered throughout the mailbox, but one in particular caught my attention. It was placed on top of the others without being folded. Curiosity already convinced me to open the door, so I picked it up and started reading the letter. Inside read:
"I ran to this mailbox almost everyday during my week stay in Corolla. I stopped to read a love letter or two everyday to remind myself there is still so much love in the world. Today is my last run here and I thought I'd leave a note behind for the next visitor. Maybe you're even a runner too. You are more important than you can ever imagine. Truth is, you'd astound yourself if you knew what you were capable of doing. Yep, some days are going to be hard, but you need to keep going. You have so much more to give.
All the best to you, sweet friend."
I was shocked, and a little ashamed. These weren't tragically romantic, sappy love notes. These were raw, honest and beautiful letters from strangers to other strangers. These were to brighten someone's day who needed the smallest or biggest reminder of just how incredibly special they are and how the world wouldn't be the same without them. These were acts of complete selflessness and kindness.
Something that's easily forgotten is that there isn't only one kind of love in the world. The love within a family, the love between friends, the love between yourself and nature or animals, as well as countless other kinds of love are just as important as romantic love. With all the tragedy and negativity that's been surrounding the world recently, simple actions of love through reminders like these letters can have an even larger, more positive impact, even if it's just to one person.
As summer starts to come to an end and weeks inevitably become busier and busier, remember to take some time to remember the little things in life that make you, someone you love, or even a complete stranger smile.
I hope each of you find your own pink mailbox and open it- who knows what costless smiles you might find inside?
