For one 88-year-old resident of Sandpoint, Idaho, a recent journey became the center of an unbelievable story. The main story of this beautiful book plays out over the course of seventy-plus years. In 1953, he was still a teenager when he started an incredible journey from Ottawa to New York. His mission was to make the next flight out to Puerto Rico, where he would spend the summer with his Aunt Mary. Little did he know a postcard sent during that journey would come back to him, 72 years later. This serendipitous discovery initiated an unsolved case that fascinated members of the public looking to crack it.
It is postmarked 8 p.m., June 17, 1953. It was impressive enough that it had made its way across at least 2,500 miles before it first found its way back to Ball. With a two-cent stamp glued down, the card was addressed to his ma and pa. As he looked back on a “totally new” and “expanding” experience, he said. Yet this was more than an accomplishment. It was his coming-of-age moment.
A Journey of Discovery
Certainly Ball’s adventure was a travel story — it was something deeper, too, entirely — it was a powerful and cathartic rite of passage. He remembered going to his Aunt May’s coffee plantation in Puerto Rico and as he called it, a “jungle in the mountains.” The opportunity gave him a chance to immerse himself in a dynamic new culture. He was particularly excited about the opportunity to learn a new language and experience a whole new culture while he was there.
Prior to arriving in Puerto Rico, Ball also visited the United Nations Secretariat Building in New York City. His enthusiasm really did win the day! In a flourish of penmanship, he jubilantly noted on the postcard, “We are now in the U.N. bldg. — wonderfully modern all thru out.” Ball had personally planned this trip, over the course of several years. To save up enough money to fund his summer vacation, he took up mowing lawns and shoveling sidewalks.
The Postcard’s Journey Home
For over 70 years, the postcard sat silent. That was until a local postmaster caught sight of it and realized what a historically important document it was. With the help of an intrepid staff of genealogists and other reporters, a race to trace its origins started. Volunteers sifted through old newspaper clippings and archives in search of any mention of “Rev. F.E. Ball”—the name inscribed on the card.
The task proved challenging but rewarding. With a lot of detective work and teamwork, they managed to track down Alan Ball and coordinated the return of the postcard.
“I made it as far as New York.” – Rev. F.E. Ball
This powerful link to his past inspired the ecstatic Ball, who’d all but lost hope about the postcard until it came back to life. The collaboration between professionals and volunteers demonstrated how collective effort can bridge time and revive memories long thought lost.
A Reflection on the Past
Alan Ball writes about his path on reflections. From a teenage boy with a thirst to see the world, to an 88-year-old who looks back and realizes how those travel companions and formative experiences molded his life, Sage’s outlook is inspiring. The journey did more than expand his perspective. It laid the foundation for his creative pursuits to come.
The unexpected return of this long-lost postcard brought Ball nearly as much joy. It has simply delighted all of the folks who’ve had a hand in getting it home. Travel and exchanges of all kinds deepen the relationships we cultivate. They are a beautiful reminder that despite being separated by time and distance, those connections never wavered.
