Letter to You | Feb 2026

Hi there, I hope this finds you well.

We had a blizzard here, but I happened to schedule a trip right through it and somehow dodged the whole thing. Chicago was so warm the day I arrived, so I felt incredibly lucky. I finished reading Savage Appetite by Rachel Monroe this month, and when the book mentioned the Thorne Miniature Rooms, of course I had to go see it since I just happened to be in Chicago (truly, so lucky). I loved the Art Institute of Chicago and its collection. It’s a very big museum (still nowhere near as big as the Met), so I’ll definitely be going back. We were gifted a fridge magnet from there last year, and this year I finally got to go myself.

I unintentionally started a thinking notebook this month and really love it. I do have a designated messy notebook, but because of its size, I don’t reach for it as often. The Jibun Techo IDEA attached to my Jibun Techo Lite goes with me almost everywhere, so I end up using it for a lot of thinking on paper. When I don’t have my planner with me, I use my pocket notebook. Everyone needs a messy no-pressure notebook. It really helps to get my thoughts out of my head and eases my anxiety.

I caught up with a few old friends, which always brings me joy. I used to feel a little sad during these catch-ups, as if the very act of catching up meant we had drifted too far apart. But now I just cherish the moments. Life goes on. We have responsibilities, we change, our priorities shift. And yet we are still in each other’s lives, still holding those shared memories and they are spending their valuable time with me. I tend to be the friend who waits for others to reach out, but I want to do better in that department, to reach out more when someone crosses my mind.

A postcard was waiting for me when I got home from my trip. I bought it at the Art Institute of Chicago museum shop and mailed it to myself, dropping it into a mailbox inside Union Station. Seeing it in my mailbox made me absurdly happy. I hope you have little joys like this too.

Yours Truly :)