What does one write on a postcard to a (virtual) stranger? I write about things that are going on in my life, or I explain the picture on the front of the card. I talk about the weather or mention what foods are in season here. I might mention things associated with my graduate studies, books I am reading, or what happened to me the day I write the card. Pets are also a good topic. If the recipient has asked a question on his or her profile for the sender to answer, I usually comply.

In Rosslyn Possner’s essay, "The Postcard," she writes that postcards “embody the intention of the sender and the pleasure of the receiver,” noting that these bits of paper “reveal fragments of stories that are personal representations of places and people” (219). The postcards above illustrate some of my more common communication styles. The first one is to someone with whom I exchange cards on a monthly basis, through a North America Round Robin. It's kind of chatty and imparts an interesting, if unsubstantial, facet of attitudes toward food in New Orleans. The second card is going to someone who collects bridge postcards. This one is more about facts concerning the card itself (Lake Pontchartrain Causeway). The message is tailored to the recipient's interest in bridges. The third card answers a request on the recipient's profile: "Tell me about something you are most proud of in your life." 

The things I write about are also the kinds of messages I generally receive, so it is pretty safe to say that these kinds of messages are acceptable forms of Postcrossing rhetoric. I imagine some people may get more personal in their messages, but I never do and I have not received any postcards with overtly personal messages.

This week, I received a postcard from a person in Malaysia. We've exchanged quite a few cards over the past year or so. The Malaysia airline crash/disappearance has been on my mind quite a bit, largely because of "knowing" this fellow postcard aficionado. Here's the front of the card: 

The theme of this exchange was "April" and my chosen letter was "R." The card evokes themes associated with April and, of course, rain begins with "R." It's a cute card. When I read the message, though, I was reminded of why I continue with this hobby: I want to connect, on some level, with people in other parts of the world. Here's the message: 

It took my breath away for a moment. It certainly reveals a fragment of a story that is personal and is a representation of a particular place and people. The writer uses rhetorical strategies that reflect both profound sadness and great hope coupled with resiliency. These feelings are not dissimilar from what I and many others felt after Hurricane Katrina. To me, this is what Postcrossing is all bout: finding that no matter where in the world we happen to be, we can find commonality and learn that we are much more similar than we are different. 

Works Cited

Prosser, Rosslyn. “The Postcard: The Fragment.” Life Writing 8.2 (2011): 219-25. Web. 21

            March 2014.