Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Since my flight date is coming closer and closer now (I leave in about a week), I've started to slowly but surely sort out my things which I'd like to take with me. The hardest bit is probably going to be deciding what shoes to take as I usually struggle to find a pair that fits in Japan.

Apart from clothes, shoes and beauty products, I also always take a handful (or more) of "personal items" with me. These are things I either picked up myself, or were given to me by friends and family which I consider precious and hold very dear. Sadly I'm quite limited with a luggage allowance of 23kg but thankfully, a lot of these things are actually very, very light. 

Letters, post cards, birthday and Christmas cards, farewell and good luck messages. It's probably silly and overly sentimental, but over the years I have collected so many lovely messages by friends that it is quite easy for me to feel at home and loved wherever I go. The handful I take with me I keep in the little case I got from Cath Kidston a while back.

This is only a small fraction of what I have collected over the years; the rest is carefully kept in boxes and drawers in my room at home. As useful and quick and convenient emails and texts are, I'm still a big fan of writing letters in general. I love receiving things in the mail and I find that a little card can really brighten your day. Walking around town and picking up little things here and there along with a pretty card or stationary is probably one of my favourite activities ever.

However, while I am all for telling people how much they mean to you and show them that you care because life is short and opportunities can pass in the blink of an eye, I have also come to realise that sometimes, things don't need to be said out loud or written down.

Sometimes you just know and they just know, and you know that they know and they know that you know and it's simply nice and comforting and makes me just as happy as any card, or gift, or whatever else you've got.

Friendship, and distance, is a curious thing.