Write a letter
Growing up, I had no less than six penpals at a time. My parents attended a yearly Christian conference each summer, and I amassed friends all over the country. We’d dutifully exchange addresses and write letters to stay in touch until the next conference. I still keep in touch with one of my first penpals today (Hi, Bessers!). But it’s been at least a decade since I’ve written a letter. I mean a real letter, on stationary with run on sentences and lengthy paragraphs about life.
So what happened to the letter writing? For me, it wasn’t the busyness of marriage or childrearing. It was the internet. And email. And text messaging. And instant messaging. And Facebook. And blogging. And while I find I have 4oo plus friends online, and I’m so very thankful for Facebook and the ability to see up-to-date pictures of family and friends all over the globe, the quality of communicating, the level to which we share our hearts with each other, isn’t anywhere near as dear and personal as the letter.
I miss letters. I miss pulling a pretty envelope out of my mailbox and seeing the unique handwriting of someone dear to me. I miss catching a whiff of their perfume the paper caught as they drug their wrist across the lines. I miss hand-drawn smiley faces and little tokens of recent activities tucked inside the envelope. I miss those personal, often diary-like confessions.
I once attended a seminar at a scrapbooking conference, no less, regarding letters. Letters play such a huge part of our history and heritage. They give us glimpses into daily life, and letters have such longevity – much more so than a text, chat, Facebook post, or an email. My family has letters that our ancestors wrote home while serving in the Civil War. Talk about longevity!
And so, I picked up a pen and a pretty piece of paper and wrote a letter. And another, and another. I realized letter writing is a catharsis for me. With each stroke of my pen, I felt a bit of release for my tired, dreary soul through the tips of my fingers. My hope is that the recipients might find a bit of winter sunshine as they tear open an envelope and soak in words meant to encourage and express my love.
Oh, and if you write me a letter, I will write back. Just ask my husband. That’s how our whole relationship got started!
I LOVE letters! When I went to college my, quiet reserved, Grandpa bought me a book of stamps covered in roses. I will always remember how special they were; the gift of a poor college student being able to send a note or letter home. I will always remember that he did that for me without being asked.
I also want to know more about your letter writing relationship with your husband. You wet my appetite for more details.
Jessie…you need to write more about that book of stamps. Just the few sentences here made me tear up and miss my Grandparents (even the mean Grandma).
Amelia…I love this post. I’m glad you wrote it. I’m going to dig out some pretty paper and write a few letters. You have inspired me once again! (Although I’ll have to try really hard to keep my penmanship neat…I have awful handwriting).
Oh, Jessie, what a sweet, sweet story about your Grandpa! It makes me miss my Grandpas! Thank you for sharing! I’m thinking about blogging our letter dating relationship through February. We wrote HUNDREDS of letters.
Susie, my handwriting always starts out nice and then is so sloppy by the end of a letter!