When my mother sold our childhood home we unearthed a lifetime of postcards starting from before my parents were married. Some of the cards are from old, long time family friends, and relatives, others from people I’ve never met. Many of them are no longer alive. But those I remember are here in these cards—humor, cynicism, generosity, playfulness, adventure. I can remember some of these people very clearly, as I should, since they were around for most of my life.