Real Letters

"Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company."

   - Lord Byron (1788-1824), English Romantic poet

When was the last time you wrote or received a real letter? I mean one written with a pen or pencil on real paper that's folded and put into an envelope with a stamp on it, then dropped into a mailbox? Most of us could probably count on the fingers of both hands the personal letters we've written and received this past year. The culprit? E-mail. I now correspond with my friends and acquaintances almost exclusively by using my computer, and they do too.

Is there anything wrong with this? Not really. It's certainly more convenient, that's for sure. But the folks over at the DailyOM website say we're missing something by not filling up our fountain pen, finding some stationery, going to a quiet, comfortable place and writing long-hand letters to those we care about:

"It's possible to brighten someone's day simply by sending them a handwritten note.

Most of us can think of at least one person in our lives we could write a letter to. It need not be a long letter; even a note card or postcard would be fine. It's the intention that matters, the thoughtfulness that says, 'I was thinking of you, and wanted to make you feel special.' "

I'm inclined to agree. There was a time in my life when I wrote hundreds of personal letters and notes each year. Many were to people I worked with to wish them a happy birthday, tell them I appreciated something they had done for me or to congratulate them for some achievement.  Many were to my friends to thank them for a favor, offer condolences at a time of loss or offer my best wishes when their lives were changing. I am always surprised and humbled when I run into someone who received one of those notes and they tell me they still have it. 

I too have kept letters that people wrote me from years ago. I still have letters that my wife-to-be wrote me when we were in college back in the early 1960s. I have others that were written by friends and family that are almost as old. I continue saving them even today because I enjoy getting them out and reading them again when I need a little boost. The ones that spoke to me at those times in my life when I needed to know there was someone who cared are always worth re-visiting.

And that's really what personal letters are all about, I think. They're about taking the time to tell the people in your life that you care. When a person knows you've put some effort into getting in touch by writing a "real" letter, I believe it means more to them. Yes, a phone call is nice, and an e-mail works too, but finding a hand-addressed envelope underneath the pile of bills in your mailbox is always a special treat.

And you never know how something you write might affect the person you've written. It could have a profound impact on them, and you might never realize it unless you're fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. So find that old pen, get yourself some paper, envelopes and stamps, locate a comfy place and write someone you care about. Tell them something that will make them feel good. Who knows? Maybe they'll be so impressed they'll write you a "real" letter too.

Resources:  Here's a great little web-site about Letter Writing and Intimate Disclosure with dozens of links that will give you a new appreciation for this almost lost art.

These two "how-to" sites are quick reads and will help you get started if you've gotten out of practice as I have: Notes From a Dreamer and Pagewise. 

And this is a neat little book titled Writing Notes With a Personal Touch by Daria P. Bowman and Maureen LaMarca that has lots of great tips for anyone who wants to make his or her correspondence more personal.

Need stationery? Here's an excellent source if you want to order on-line. Nope, I own no stock in their company, but have ordered their products and always been pleased with them.