Tom : A Wonderful Postcard-swapping Friend ❤

Some friendships are written in letters,
some are built through conversations,
and some travel across oceans on little pieces of paper called POSTCARDs.

I have been collecting postcards since 2008, and throughout these years, this beautiful hobby has brought countless surprises, wonderful discoveries, and friendships from different corners of the world. Among all the people I have met through postcard swapping, there is one very special postcard-swapping friend I would love to dedicate this post to —
Tom Anderson from Southampton, United Kingdom.

Tom and I started exchanging postcards sometime around 2013. It is quite amazing to think that we have been connected through postcards for more than fifteen years now. Time certainly flies!

Throughout all these years, Tom has been one of the most thoughtful and generous postcard friends I have ever known. What makes Tom so special is the incredible care he puts into every postcard he sends. from choosing beautiful and interesting cards, he always seems to know how to make them extra special with carefully selected stamps and his beautiful hand-drawings of course!

As a postcard collector, these little details mean so much to me. And as someone who appreciates the little details of postal history, I cannot help but admire the thoughtfulness behind every piece of mail he sends.

Nothing seems randomly chosen. Every postcard, every stamp, and every special drawing feels thoughtfully selected and done. One of the things I appreciate most about Tom is that wherever his travels take him, he remembers to send me a postcard. Sometimes, I receive cards from unusual or rarely seen countries, places I never expected to find in my mailbox. It is always such a lovely surprise!

Looking back through my collection, I find so many lovely reminders of Tom's kindness. There are cheerful illustrated postcards, beautiful selection of stamps, special postal markings, and even a colourful hand-drawing birthday greeting that he sent to me back in September 2013.

Over the years, I have learned that postcard collecting is not simply about collecting cards from different countries or adding another stamp to an album. It is also about the people behind them, the friendships we build, and the kindness that travels across borders.
Tom reminds me of this beautiful side of our hobby.

A postcard may be just a small piece of paper to some people, but to a collector, it can hold a whole world of stories, memories, and emotions.

Some postcards are special because of where they came from. Others are special because of the stamps they carry. But the most precious ones are special because of the person who sends them.

And Tom, your postcards will always be among my most treasured.

With heartfelt thanks and appreciation, from Carol,
your postcard friend in Sabah, Malaysia.

GB-1991183 World Postcard Day from London.

When Kindness Travels by Airmail ❤️
One of my most cherished arrivals this month!

A World Postcard Day postcard, dated 1 October 2026, bearing a special World Postcard Day (WPD) postmark from London. Thank you, Keith and Noreen from Greenford, for this beautiful piece of postal history — and, more importantly, for the lovely story and heartfelt kindness behind it.

1st October is World Postcard Day, and I have been looking forward to receiving a postcard bearing a special WPD postmark for so long. To finally hold one in my hands feels incredibly special. It is almost as though the post office itself is joining in the celebration, stamping is more than just ink onto paper.. With every impression, it seems to capture a little joy, preserve a precious memory, and carry a touch of human kindness that may outlive us all.

Yet, as much as I treasure the postmark, what touched me most was not the cancellation itself. It was the person behind the postcard.

At 75, Keith still takes the time to write a thoughtful, heartfelt message to a complete stranger on the other side of the world. He reminds me that meaningful connections have no age limit, that distance need not stand in the way, and a few sincere words written on a small piece of card can sometimes bridge oceans in ways that even the internet cannot quite replicate.

And this is precisely why I love Postcrossing.

In a world where instant messages arrive in seconds and almost everything happens at the tap of a finger, there is something deeply touching about someone choosing to slow down. Keith took the time to select a postcard, pair it with matching historic stamps, visit the post office on 1st October to have it specially cancelled, and send a little piece of his world into mine.

Think about that for a moment. Across thousands of miles, someone I have never met in person took the time to create something meaningful; — a small gesture that has brought me so much joy. And perhaps that is where the true magic of Postcrossing lies.

Behind every postcard is a person, a story, a moment of someone's life, and a conscious choice to reach out to another human being. Each card carries more than words and postage stamps; it carries time, thought, and a little piece of the sender's heart. And when it finally arrives, all that care finds its way into someone else's hands, sometimes touching a heart in ways the sender may never fully realise.

In the end, it is never just about collecting postcards or discovering beautiful postmarks. It is about the people we encounter, the stories we share, and the unexpected connections that make this world feel a little smaller and a little kinder.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Keith and Noreen from Greenford. Your postcard, your story, and your kindness have become a precious reminder of something I hope never to forget: even in this fast-paced world, where so much passes us by in an instant, genuine kindness still finds its way across borders, oceans, and generations.

Some things may travel at the speed of a click, but the things that touch our hearts are worth waiting for. And sometimes, all it takes is just a piece of postcard.

With heartfelt gratitude, from Carol.

A Glimpse of time..