The Feel Good Way

A Red Folder, a Fax Machine, and a Reminder to Slow Down

The other day, while tidying up my office cupboards, I stumbled upon something unexpected — a small red folder. I knew instantly it was old, and probably important. Inside were a couple of photos and three neatly sealed envelopes.

Opening them felt like a mini treasure hunt.

The photos showed my now-husband, looking impossibly young. The envelopes each contained a single fax message. The ink had faded over the decades, but the words were still just clear enough to read.

This was how, 35 years ago, we kept in touch when we were apart.

It was the era before smartphones, before the World Wide Web, before email. International phone calls — especially from a hotel room — were outrageously expensive, so we avoided them. And because faxes went through the hotel concierge, privacy was zero. No intimate secrets there — just simple, practical words.

I was away for three weeks. I received three faxes.

Do you even remember what a fax is?

Life back then moved at a completely different pace. I’m not sure I’d say it was better, but it certainly felt calmer. We could go hours — days even — without any form of personal communication during work hours. No checking email on our phones, no scrolling social media to see what everyone else was doing. We were just… living.

And that’s when it hit me. This is why mindfulness has become such a big deal today. Why so many of us are urged to slow down, to pause, to breathe. Thirty years ago, we didn’t need to be told. Our days were naturally quieter, with long stretches where it was just me, myself, and I.

Back then, calling home while traveling meant finding a payphone, pulling out your phone card, sliding it into the slot, picking up the receiver, and waiting to hear that familiar voice on the other end. Answering machines were rare, so if no one picked up, you simply tried again later. Calling wasn’t effortless or instant — it took time and intention. There were no immediate replies, no constant connection — and maybe that’s exactly what made those brief moments of contact feel so special.

Maybe we can’t go back to those days. But we can remember the gift these memories give us — the gift of space, of presence, and of living in the moment. And maybe, every now and then, we can put down the phone, step away from the noise, and give ourselves a little taste of that calm again.

Do you remember using the fax machine? Let me know in the comment below, and we will know your approximate age!

Image is AI generated