A Postcard is Worth a Thousand Words
Updated: Dec 26, 2022
When my husband was in boot camp, my mom sent him a postcard from Honduras. She used a postcard for two reasons. First, she didn’t have enough to write in a letter. Second, and more importantly, to “share a piece of their trip”, this is literally what my mom wrote on the back of the postcard. It allowed him to disconnect from the chaos of boot camp. JT loves to read about things.
The tradition of sending postcards in the military started in the early 1800s. Families used postcards to share their photo memories with their military loved ones. Letters are great, but a simple message of inspiration and a personal image allows your recruit to feel at home, even amid the chaos of boot camp.
In a world of text, email, and virtual meetings, we have lost touch with the impact of a simple photo. The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” has never been more timely as family and friends struggle with reminding their recruits of home.
I wrote to my husband every day when he was at boot camp. Some of my letters included photos printed on standard paper, and those were his favorite. To this day, he has every picture I sent him at boot camp. Although a bit tattered from wear, he cherishes those moments of peace my photos brought him.
Just a few photos I sent to JT. Our favorite wedding picture. Of course, our girls. And a picture from our last mission trip to Guatemala (best trip ever!).
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