An envelope came in the mail yesterday. It was addressed to my kids.
Inside were 2 letters, each hand printed by a little girl.
A longtime friend (that I rarely ever see IRL but spent a day with last summer) had her daughters write my children letters.
My children will write back.
My children will write back.
It got me thinking about when I was young and would regularly write to my cousin Neil in Belfast. He was my pen pal for many years.
With technology we have lost the art of letter writing.
The clicking of keys has replaced the flow of ink on paper. I won’t argue that it has made life so much easier. No paper to write on. No envelope to seal. No stamp to lick. No post office or mailbox to find.
But there is something sad about that. The convenience factor has pushed aside the human touch. That in the rush of life we can’t take time out of our busy lives to prepare, by our own hand a simple note to say “Hey. Just thinking about you”
Tell me I’m not the only person who feels a little bit of happiness when I see my address handwritten on an envelope (and an actual stamp) as I pull it out of the mailbox.
The anticipation of What could it be…? if I’m not expecting it.I think I’ll add this one to my list of intentions. To hand write more letters/cards to people I care about.
The clicking of keys has replaced the flow of ink on paper. I won’t argue that it has made life so much easier. No paper to write on. No envelope to seal. No stamp to lick. No post office or mailbox to find.
But there is something sad about that. The convenience factor has pushed aside the human touch. That in the rush of life we can’t take time out of our busy lives to prepare, by our own hand a simple note to say “Hey. Just thinking about you”
Tell me I’m not the only person who feels a little bit of happiness when I see my address handwritten on an envelope (and an actual stamp) as I pull it out of the mailbox.
The anticipation of What could it be…? if I’m not expecting it.I think I’ll add this one to my list of intentions. To hand write more letters/cards to people I care about.
Did you ever have a pen pal?
Do you still hand write letters?
Yes love to write letters and send cards in the mail, love stationary and think about using just the right brand new pen with it. I have always made my kids write thank you’s and they do but not often and never without fear of death
I distinctly remember a year they were both at camp for two weeks and I checked the mailbox like someone with OCD- and NADA. So apparently they have not bought what I am selling about the importance of letters~!
Man, I love getting ANYTHING in the mail that isn’t a bill or a flyer or “occupant” mail. Seeing someone’s handwriting on paper is such a wonderful thing, and I always wish the message was longer – I hate when it ends! I really should stop hoarding my stationary and send more “just because” notes to people. Great reminder, Christine!!
It is a lost art. So fun to get letters. Out kids go to camp every summer and instead of signing up for the email system (um, lame IMO as you can only write to them they can not answer back). We do hand written letters.
Recently my kids wrote a letter to their old nanny who moved away. They did this because she doesn’t have email (or Facebook). My 10 year old daughter loved it! She included a hand drawn picture of the two of them and 2 pages of details about her life. My 13 year old son, on the other hand, found it painful. They were both happy when letters arrived in the mail in response.
The craziest thing? Neither of them could read her cursive hand writing and found it very frustrating!