I don’t like federal holidays. Don’t get me wrong — I want the day off. But I also want my mail.

Yes, I know what I just wrote. And I know that in the day of instantaneous mail via e-mail, that sounds strange. But ever since I was a little girl, the mail carrier delivered. It began with my copies of “Highlights” magazine and then “Ranger Rick.” I graduated to the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mystery book club.

And, of course, there were the pen pals I had around the world. I wrote to a few in Africa for a summer or two. But Andrew, who lived in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, and I corresponded for more than 10 years. Ironically, we lost touch soon after we both got email. His letters opened a whole new world to me. And I had fun sharing my life and culture through newspaper I created for him and through letters.

In college, my mother and I began a correspondence that continues to this day. There is nothing I enjoy more than coming home to find a letter waiting from her. She shares the daily stories of what she and dad had for dinner, when they walked the dog and what score she got in Pinchocle. Mundane, perhaps, but it’s the stuff of life.

Many of my friends send short little notes. I guess we’re still a bit old-fashioned that way.

And now I write to my sponsored child in Brazil. It’s part of sponsorship through ChildFund International. I enjoy hearing how Fabia is growing and what she is doing. Our correspondence reminds me of my childhood pen pals.

So while I love the ease and speed of email, I truly enjoy the deliveries to my mailbox. For me, snail mail delivers.