The Lantern Pen Pal

If one good thing came out of Covid quarantine, it’s my lantern pen pal!

In early spring when quarantine restrictions were in full force, I was laid off from my position as an admin assistant at an archaeology company. For a solid three months I was home all day and bored out of my mind.

Much like many others, I channeled my inner Marie Kondo and focused on organizing my house and purging my belongings. Unfortunately, this was difficult as thrift shops were closed and there was no where to drop off donations. So I had to get creative.

One day while walking my dog Rupert, I spotted a very cool tree in a nearby front yard. This tree was extra special, because it was obviously a memorial. There was a Canadian flag attached to the tree, a hockey stick leaning against it, a small wooden cross, a ball cap hanging off of it- and a few other miscellaneous items. Also, near the tree was a lantern, that was on its side with shattered glass.

A few years ago my best friend Jason gifted me a beautiful wooden lantern which I hung off the side of my house to illuminate my deck. Since our siding was replaced, this lantern was removed from the house and placed into a closet. Where it sat. For over a year!

As I walked past this overturned, shattered lantern by my neighbor’s memorial tree I thought to myself, “what a great opportunity to not only give a gift, but to get rid of some clutter at home.”

The next day I placed my beautiful wooden lantern under the tree, hoping its new owners would like it. Little did I know this small gesture would introduce me to a very special woman.

The next time I travelled past the lantern, there was a small package clipped to it, in a bag with the words, “to the person who left me a lantern.” Inside was a note and a gift.

And this began a beautiful friendship. I found out the lantern was broken after being hit by an intoxicated driver- an occurrence known all to well to the person who wrote the the note.

I learned her name was Marie, and the memorial was created by her son- in memory of his late father. Marie wrote her husband was fatally struck by a drunk driver, in the end of her driveway in the middle of the day.

Three months have passed and Marie and I exchange notes and gifts regularly.

She is quite punny. For example, the time she gave me a keychain with a little gem on it with a note calling me a gem of a person.

She is EXTREMELY thoughtful, often leaving me masks and hand sanitizer and gloves to keep me and my family safe during quarantine.

Or when she gifted me a high vis vest so I can be safe while walking Rupert.

Or when she found out I was engaged she left me a piggy bank full of change with the words “honeymoon fund” on it.

I love searching the stores and finding trinkets for Marie, like this bird feeder for her tree.

For which she was so sweetly grateful for.

I don’t know if this will last forever. I don’t even know if I will ever meet Marie face to face. But I do know that this beautiful stranger has brought me an immense amount of joy.

Covid-19 has taken so much from us, but it did bring me one of my favourite people on the whole planet, and for that I am grateful.