Not long after I received my first postcard from Rich in the United States, I was eagerly awaiting my second. Postcrossing had already begun to captivate me, and each new postcard was like a small treasure from a distant land. My second postcard came from Mirja, a woman living in a small town called Orimattila near Lahti, in southern Finland. I didn’t know much about Finland back then—just vague images of snowy landscapes and forests—but Mirja changed that.
Her postcard carried a glimpse into her world, a world that I had never imagined. At the time, she was a gardener, working in a flower shop after years of farming. She had four daughters, her youngest, Jasmin, living with her and playing basketball at a competitive level. Through her message, Mirja painted a picture of family life in Finland, sharing her joys and challenges. It was her openness that truly touched me, especially when she spoke of her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and the hardships she faced, including the loss of her first grandchild in 2014—a deeply moving tragedy that she was still healing from.
Despite the difficult moments she shared, Mirja’s postcard was full of warmth and hope. She had dreams of traveling the world, seeing different places, people, and cultures. I learned that she loved hiking in Lapland, Nordic walking, and even had taken up singing in a choir. Her postcard wasn’t just a message; it was a window into her life, her passions, and her resilience. It opened my eyes to a side of Finland that I had never considered, a personal, intimate glimpse that I would never have known had it not been for this small piece of mail.
Years later, I found Mirja on Facebook. She had shared a link, but I never dared to message her. Instead, I followed her updates quietly. In one post, she shared a photo of herself busy crocheting handmade items, and I was relieved to see that she looked healthy and was doing well. Her florist business was thriving, and seeing her success brought me joy. Despite her diagnosis and personal tragedies, Mirja had built a life that seemed full of passion and positivity. Her energy, even through her online posts, was contagious.
Inspired by her resilience, I decided to surprise her in a small but meaningful way. I printed one of the photos of her flowers and planned to turn it into a postcard. If I ever get an address from Finland through Postcrossing, I want to send that postcard to someone near her. The postcard will include the details of her flower shop, Kukkapii Oy:
Minna Rajala-Salminen, Florist and Entrepreneur
Kukkapii Oy
Hämeenkatu 14, 15110 Lahti
Phone: 03 7822 453 / 044 7060 020
Email: tilaus@kukkapii.fi
Flower shop Lahti
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10-17, Sat 9-15
Online store: Always open
Perhaps they or someone they know could order flowers from her shop. I want her to know that despite everything she has gone through, I am so happy that she is well and that she looks like a picture of joy. This is my way of sending a little bit of light back to someone who unknowingly brightened my world with a postcard all those years ago.
Back then, I didn’t have the habit of documenting or scanning the postcards I received. In 2007, smartphones weren’t as ubiquitous, and it wasn’t as common to take photos of everything like we do now. The excitement for me was always in the anticipation and the physical postcard itself—the feel of it in my hands, the stamps, and the handwriting. But times have changed, and it’s much easier now. With an iPhone, I can scan and upload postcards almost instantly. It’s become so simple to have digital documentation, and I’ve come to realize how valuable that is.
Yet, even now, I sometimes forget to scan them. I’ll find myself flipping through a pile of received postcards, realizing that I’ve forgotten to upload a few of them. It’s something I promise to be more diligent about. Looking back, I can’t even imagine the sheer number of postcards I’ve collected over the years. Having digital records would help preserve those memories, making sure that these precious moments don’t fade with time. So now, I make a conscious effort to document each postcard as it comes in, creating a visual archive that complements the physical one I’ve built.
Another thing that has changed is the Postcrossing website itself. The platform has come a long way since the early days. It looks better now—sleeker, more user-friendly, and more interactive. Navigating through profiles and viewing postcard journeys has become more enjoyable, with enhanced visuals and features that help bring the community closer together. The evolution of the website has made it even easier to track postcards, connect with other users, and celebrate the joy of sending and receiving mail. This digital transformation has only deepened my appreciation for the platform and its ability to unite people from all over the world.
Mirja’s story stayed with me long after her postcard arrived. Her openness and her strength in the face of life’s challenges left an imprint on me. Through her, I didn’t just learn about Finland as a place, but as a home, a landscape of resilience and beauty, shaped by people like Mirja who live and love there.
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