The Chain Gang

There always seems to be some kind of chain mail in my life at any given time. Whether it's snail mail or email, I'm always getting something to pass on. The email that comes promising good luck provided I forward the message to everyone I know gets deleted right away. If it's something cute, I may forward it, but I omit the edict to pass it on, the promise of luck or wealth, and the curse if not followed through immediately. However, there are certain people who I cannot turn down when asked to participate in chain mail. I don't know why I can't say no. I guess deleting an email is somewhat impersonal usually, but mail that has to be returned if you aren't going to participate is so burdensome to me. It's like people are asking me a big favor and I just don't want to tell them no. Some chain mail I actually wanted to be a part of, but I never reaped the rewards. I have sent recipes, postcards, children's books, paperback novels and fabric in the mail, all in hopes that within three weeks I would be paid back 50 fold. No such luck--ever. Not once did I get a return recipe or book from some far away exotic place like Africa or Pennsylvania. So today I got an email asking me to add my name to a list of married people on the corresponding date I got married. Because of who sent it to me, I passed it on. Why? I don't know. Somewhere down the line someone will get that email and say, "How is this meaningful to me?" I don't know that it will be. But I think that when the person who sent it to me gets the return email showing that I did my part, she will smile. And maybe that makes it worth it.