Letter From a Reader

Dear Jessica,

            My name is Sophie Andrews.  I am 53 years old and I currently live in a small town in Oklahoma.  I am the mother of four beautiful, strong children, and a grandmother to two feisty little boys and a darling little girl.  I attend my curves class three times a week, clean my house daily, run to Walmart more often than I would like, pay bills WAY more often than I would like, go to doctor’s appointments, talk to my children and grandchildren on the phone, play with my dogs, watch the news, and read when I get the chance.  I’m not telling you this to bore you with the details of my life however; I tell you this so you know I am an average person.

            Now, I would like to tell you how your Zine has affected me personally.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of visiting Greece.  The excitement of Greek mythology, the fantastic architecture, and the breathtaking beaches have always enthralled me.  However, I had all but given up hope of ever travelling there due to life’s trials and daily hassles.  An even bigger concern was the outrageous prices of travelling, especially internationally.  Needless to say, it seemed pretty much impossible for me to visit Greece and I had accepted that fact.

            However, one day I was on my computer and searched for the quote about not waiting for the storm to pass, when a link to your Zine popped up within the search results.  As I surprisingly had free time, I clicked on the link and was soon engrossed.  Your realistic stories, entertaining pictures, inspirational quotes and poems, and information on how to achieve your dreams, were extremely touching and motivating.  I began to follow your Zine, and the more I read, the more my dreams of visiting Greece resurfaced.  Then, in your November 2009 issue, you wrote an article containing tips and information for travelling internationally on a budget.  You had given me the information I needed to finally fulfill my dream.

            I followed every one of your tips to the “T” and soon I was planning my trip to Greece.  I spoke with travel agents, budgeted, and packed my clothes.  Finally, in June of 2010, I boarded a plane and was actually on my way to Greece.  It was the most amazing experience of my life.  It was so much more than I had ever dreamed of and wouldn’t have traded that trip for anything.  I truly had the time of my life, and I never would have had the knowledge of how to actually make my dream reality without your advice.  So, thank you.  I don’t know if others have enjoyed your zine, or found use of its articles, but I truly have.  Because of your Zine, I was able to achieve my lifelong dream.  Thank you and I look forward to your future articles.

Sincerely,

      Sophie Andrews