In this age of fast/instant communication, so much is lost in the flash of the moment as our minds tune in to what’s going on around us.

Once when I was mowing grass at Arlington, Ms. Ann Vaughn came out on the front steps and beckoned me to come up by waving a letter and quickly complied.

The letter was a thank you note from my Aunt, Miss Lillian Erle Sloan sent to her in 1934 (the year of my birth) for a kindness to her.

This was a thoughtful act of kindness to me as it reminded me of what a friendship existed between these two ladies so long ago. Now, today we call, text and tell, and it vanishes almost instantly. Oh, how much is lost! Instantly! History gone.

How much more genteel life would be if we took the time to write a thank you note. Our descendants would gain so much knowing about what their ancestors thought and did so many years ago.

You all write now, ya’ll hear!

Erle Drane

Natchez