Red Dirt Diaries: The Power Of The Pen

Sandy Smith will soon visit the same pen pal she has had since the 4^th grade.

She was a member of the Girl Scouts and wanted to earn a badge for the correspondence.

In her wildest dreams, she couldn’t have imagined the across the world friendship lasting decades.

“Mine has lasted 57 years,” said Smith about her pen pal Anne Peverley, who lives in England.

“As soon as we would get a letter, we'd write,” said Smith.

She said she would receive a letter every six weeks when she was younger.

Sandy and Anne don’t write as frequently now, but they still always share holiday cards.

“You know their family,” said Smith.

The two have only spoke on the phone once and don’t email much.

“Her internet is a little iffy, plus we enjoy writing to each other,” said Smith.

The writing will be on hold in two weeks, when Sandy and her daughter go to England to visit the friend she has always read about in letters.

“I cannot wait, it’s 57 years in the making,” said Smith.

“A letter is an art that we have forgotten.”