We all have them, smarty pants friends. You know the ones? They somehow, just by being them, make you bring your “A” game to the Scrabble board. In some weird twisted way, they elevate the playing field. But, oh, how you want to be chosen to play on their team.
Okay, let me be more clear. Friend, a true friend. Not one who only wears smarty pants. Oh, no. A friend who also wears fancy pants. A friend who is silly, creative, passionate, lively, pushes the envelope sometimes and certainly a friend you want to have lunch with. Someone you want to plan an adventure with. Someone you want to share some bit of research you just discovered. Someone you want to eat vegan nachos with until you rub your stomachs and scream, no more!
This is my friend’s hand. I call her Miss Florida. I have the good fortune of having more than one friend with the same first name. So to delineate without having to say their last name each time I refer to them, I gave them nick names. She lives in Florida. Mr. Right named her Miss Florida. love that. 
When we were vacationing in the Redwoods of California, she was the one, we sent a redwood seedling to. She is the one who sent me a coconut via US postal service. Just to see if we could.
Well, well. What do we have here? Looks like a Sea Grape leaf.
She wrote, “Sunny Greetings from Lovers Key” Love, Miss Florida
Home schoolers look alive!!! Look up Sea Grape Leaf and Lovers Key, Florida.
The leaf has lost some of its vibrant green color and it feels a bit crisp and brittle compared to the supple, soft green when it went into the post box. It was mailed January 23rd and arrived on the other side of the country today, February 5. Not bad. 
There is a stamp. You notice it was not cancelled. Apparently, this type of leaf does not go through their fancy dancy postal machines. You will notice, she put a proper postage stamp. Because of it is bigger than a regulation envelope, postage was due. Oh sigh, they slapped that ugly red-letter stamp with the words postage due over my beautiful, dried out, crisp and crunchy (with only one little 
tear) Sea Grape Leaf.
Some folks like snail mail. I ask you, Who among us, doesn’t adore and get all school girl giddy over HAPPY MAIL????
With a raincoat and boots on, hood up, and the rain pouring down, I walked in the gray overcast skies to our mail box. Heck, the dog didn’t even want to come out of the garage with me. She stayed under cover and peaked her head around the corner. I’ll stay here while you go fetch the junk mail.
Much to my wondering eyes, I pulled a big, fat, incredible leaf out into the open air. Smiling ear to ear, I walked back with a zip in my step. I told the dog all about it. She sniffed it and walked away.
She didn’t seem as impressed as I was.
Nothing like Happy Mail to brighten one’s spirits.
Thank you Miss Florida for cheering up a deary winter day. I can feel your spirit and sunny smile all the way across the land.
I vote YES PLEASE for more HAPPY MAIL in the world!!!!
When was the last time you sent HAPPY MAIL to someone.
Come on folks, jump aboard.
HAPPY MAIL, ROCKS!
Sunday's Child 