I collect postcards because I enjoy traveling, and looking at postcards allows me to "travel" to many different parts of the world. I've been collecting postcards for quite a while now; for quite a number of years, in fact. For me, postcards either shine a light on a part of the world that I would like to visit or bring back memories of places that I have already visited. I started collecting postcards as a teenager when a friend of mine went to Europe and sent me a postcard from Paris. It was very exiciting for me to get that first postcard. My imagination kicked into high gear looking at the postcard of the Champs Elysees at night with all of the lights, and I could hardly believe my eyes. It looked almost magical. I imagined myself walking along that street soaking up the sights and sounds of that city. I vowed to visit it one day, and I have. I've since been to France a number of times and can't wait to go back again. But that's not the end of my story. I only collect postcards that have been sent to me through the mail, and my friends know this. Therefore, they send me at least one postcard when they go on vacation, with the result that I have some unusual postcards in my collection. I have postcards from Israel (a round one, which I think is a very unusual shape for a postcard), Japan, Australia, Madagascar, Gibraltar, Cambodia, and New Zealand. I'm still waiting for one of my friends to go on vacation to Russia, China, or the Maldives so that I can add those to my collection.
I also have postcards from many other cities and countries in my collection, often from more familiar places, but I take pleasure in looking at them all. The important thing is that they have to be sent to me through the mail. As long as they're postmarked to me, I keep them. I daydream as I look at some of the beautiful scenes on the cards. I know I'll never have the opportunity to visit many of the places pictured on the postcards, but I get to share vicariously in the pleasure my friends enjoy when they travel to far-off places. It warms my heart that they think of me when they're far from home and go out of their way (sometimes way, way, out of their way) to send me a postcard as a memento of their travels.
Although few of my friends are as fanatic as I am about collecting postcards, I do send them postcards as well when I go on my infrequent vacations. But I don't think they collect them. Too bad.