The Forgotten Art of Letter Writing


“The power of a handwritten letter is greater than ever. It’s personal and deliberate and means more than an e-mail or text ever will. It has a unique scent. It requires deciphering. But, most important, it’s flawed.” –Ashton Kutcher

Two years ago, I wrote a post on writing snail mail, see here. For several years, my friends and I have written letters to each other. Yes, long handed, envelope and stamps, snail mail. Sometimes life gets busy and we neglect this form of communication for a while in favor of text, email, and Facebook messages which yield faster results. However, there is a certain level of satisfaction to be had in sending a hand written letter.

And an even greater delight in finding a response nestled amongst the junk in your mailbox. Much like receiving your Amazon order, there’s a certain joy in receiving something that isn’t a flyer, bill, or junk mail…. And unlike your purchase, you don’t have to order it for yourself and it is much cheaper.

In a society that is constantly finding ways to expedite every aspect of living, the tangibility of communication is quickly being replaced by digital alternatives. In a world such as this, the value of taking the time to write a letter is all the more precious. It reminds us to pause and take the time to consider those we care about, to ponder on their lives and wonder what they may be going through, and it reminds us to take time out of our own hectic schedule to set aside all of our multi-tasking and just… be. It allows us to check in with ourselves and communicate how we’ve been, and to share our excitements or disappointments with someone at length.

Instant messaging may be faster, it becomes routine, with responses that are almost programmed into us. Where a text might say “What’s up?” we find that often translates to “I’m bored, entertain me.” However, before even being read, a hand written letter easily translates to “I’m thinking of you, you are worth my time.”

While society has grown quite savy with widgets, emoji’s, gifs, and various other popular attachments, there are just as many ways to personalize a letter, if not more. With the change of pen or paper, the fonts and backgrounds are quickly spruced up, attachments are easily added such as photos, trinkets, clippings, or as my friends have often sent, crafts such as embroidery samples, bookmarks, and origami. Stickers may be added to adorn the envelope, as well as doodles and designs, or other such decorations. If you’re really looking to go old old school, you could even tea stain the paper and seal the envelope with wax. Perfume or cologne can even be added to really remind friends, family, or a special someone that you are there in spirit (let’s see you do that with email!)

Letters can be written to let friends know you are thinking about them, they’re amazing for gaining brownie points with significant others, or they can be used to show appreciation to relatives and leave them in tears (gotcha mom and dad!) The possibilities are just as endless and the joy a personal long handed letter can bring a person.

So let us bring back the lost art of letter writing, and return to one another the joy of receiving mail.

Cheers!
The Bra Street Rambler
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