Snail Mail: Letters Worth Waiting For
Most of my friends and family are tech-savvy. In-fact I do not think I have met anyone in the last year or two who have told me that he or she does not text or email. Except for my grandparents — they are still in favor of the land-line and snail mail, and rightly so. The art of conversation and the art of writing to another human being must be practiced.
What if all your birthday cards just went POOF? What if you never saw your name on a piece of mail again (except for bills which will probably always find a way to ya)? No more stationary, stickers, or stamps? The iPhone (and all the other smartphones) can accomplish so much, but will a digital message from mom brighten your day like opening her stickered letter (a few she picked out just for you), with a hint of her perfume, a $10 check (with instructions “buy a little something for yourself”), over a cup of coffee on a Saturday afternoon? Probably not.
Why do I want letter writing to stay? Because I love receiving them and I love giving them, even though I myself have saved many stamps lately due to my lack of pen to paper.Your thank-you text is sweet, but your hand-written words of kindness tell me you took a few minutes to think about it and are truly thankful. Your email is convenient, but the picture of us at the bbq this past summer with a quick note made me smile.
A few reasons to go buy yourself some stationary:
1. It makes the sender feel good
A finished letter will bring a smile to your face, I promise. Trying to figure out who to write? No excuses! Connect with a new pen pal or pull out your ancient address book and look up an old childhood friend. Just because we all use Facebook does not mean we have to send all of our messages that way. Social media tools have made it easy as pie to message college roommates or your second cousin for their new address and put a stamp on it.
2. It makes the receiver feel good
Many people seem to love all forms, but agree that handwritten notes are much more personal – that extra something. Share your thoughts at The Experience Project.
Well, I’m not sure I want stamps to skyrocket to $1, but this article is pretty interesting.
4. Express your creativity
Don’t keep those thoughts and feelings muddled in your head and heart. Let them go. Whether it is an angry unsent letter or a love letter you cannot wait to send, who knows…maybe it will kick-start your creativity.
5. Choose to be Eco-friendly
The Stationary Studio – recycled and earth-friendly section
Dolphin Blue has been producing environmentally friendly paper products since 1993
Green Field has been making eco-friendly stationary since 1992
Also, check out Adults Are Kids With Money blog - writer Renee forgets to put a stamp on her mail and shares her thoughts. Although this article mainly discusses how and why to encourage children to write letters, it is a friendly reminder to us all.
Chelsea McMahon
I totally share the same sentiment. It just feels so wrong to just let handwritten notes and letters be forgotten. The best gifts for me are written letters.
Yes! I hope letter-writing never dies–as a college student, it’s awesome finding actual mail in my mailbox (and I sent a number of letters myself).
FYI, it’s stationEry. (And subsequently–and rightly so–the Stationery Studio, not the Stationary Studio.) StationAry means unmoving. StationEry is what we use to send letters.